I have made the decision to stick with my initial topic of interest: Saadiyat Island Cultural District in Abu Dhabi. Especially as my both assignments about Saadiyat Island proved me that I just like to write about it, and it becomes already kind of passion. Besides, my supervisor Dr. Chowne contributed to this project, and he is as same as me excited about it.
My idea is to write on cultural quarters, which is an urban phenomenon since the 1970s all over the world and use SI Cultural District as a case study. Many cities develop cultural quarters with the aim of economic regeneration. That's not the case in Abu Dhabi, as AUH is a very wealthy emirate. It's a question of prestige and educational contribution to UAE's people. However, the development of SI Cultural District should attract tourism into the Emirate, to be not completely dependable on its oil resources. So either primarily or secondarily the SI development should contribute to AUH's economy while enhancing the city's profile in order to attract culture-led tourists and contributing to AUH's cultural tourism development.
Consequently, my title will be: Cultural Quarters as an Instrument of Cultural Tourism Development: A Study of Saadiyat Island Cultural District, Abu Dhabi.
Research aims: 1. To study the orle that Cultural Quarters have played in the development of cultural tourism. 2. To examine how Saadiyat Island Cultural District might contribute to the emirates overall tourism development. 2. To identify benefits and potential issues Saadiyat Island Cultural District might face, with particular reference to the economy, people of Abu Dhabi, and cultural institutions with the city, and to make recommendations for overcoming them.
In conclusion my research objectives are to explore the academic literature on terms 'cultural tourism development' and 'cultural quarters'; to set a context with Abu Dhabi and SI Cultural District; to use qualitative research approach to explore and identify key persons' (from the tourism industry) point of view; to analyse this data and formulate it to recommendations.

I have met with Samantha who was my lecturer in Tourism Planning and Policy. The reason for the appointment with her was because I am thinking of analysing AUH's tourism strategy. Sam gave me the idea of comparing Dubai and AUH. I could interview eight people from both destination's stakeholders. I would first compare both strategies and identify similarities and differences, and then ask those stakeholders what they think is a better way. The problems I will face are (1) to get the tourism strategies, (2) to find willing interviewees, and (3) to find time to travel to the UAE. But on the whole I think this sounds very interesting. To include the financial crisis related to the AUH' s and Dubai's tourism industry, I would need to prove that there have been changes in the tourism policies since then, and which again will be very difficult to find out. I have not thought yet about my strategy how to contact key persons who would give me these information, and I would like to talk about that to my supervisor Dr. Chowne who I would meet on Wednesday, 29th April.

I have had an appointment with Dr. Peter Chowne yesterday who was involved in the Abu Dhabi project Saadiyat Island. He gave me a very good idea what I could concentrate on. He told me that there is an article in Guardians newspaper which is about Dubai and how it was hit by the global financial crisis. Abu Dhabi was not, at least very very less. Why is that? Did they have a better tourism strategy? Did they plan it better? Or is it the tourism product they offer? With the construction of the Saadiyat Island Abu Dhabi becomes very well known because it offers an unique cultural tourism product. How successful could Abu Dhabi be? And how long would their tourism industry last?

Dissertation

I have few things in mind but none of them has assumed a definite shape yet. I always was interested in Space Tourism and Dubai and combined my interests with my assignments and BA dissertation. In both cases I faced the problem of limited academical literature. But maybe exactly that was the reason why I wanted to write about that. I get easily bored with things everyone wants to write about and to read about same topics in books and journals although I understand that this is the fundament for further thoughts and ideas. I am very future-oriented and support any innovative idea in the tourism industry.



Space Tourism is still something I am thrilled about. But it is still so less explored by academics that I am not sure how to provide a good literature review in my dissertation. What I could think about is to apply a model on Space Tourism but I have not gone in depth yet and do not have an idea what kind of model I could use and what I want to find out through applying this model.



Dubai...Im still addicted but I do not want to write about it anymore as everyone knows where to find Dubai on the world map. But I need to say that there are so many things to explore about Dubai. Everyone combines Dubai with luxury and pure madness but it also offers absolutely interesting cultural tourist products: Dubai Museum is the most intersting museum I have ever visited. It is very heritage oriented but in a way which gives visitors an authentic experience. I am saying 'authentic' as this was the word ALL my guests (I was a tour guide in Dubai and the rest of the UAE.) used to describe the museum. Dubai Heritage Village is a great place to go, but on weekends only, as it offers a great 'entertainment' programme on the UAE heritage. It is a place where you can experience UAE traditions, such as folklore dances (not belly dancing!), customs and way of life. And then there is Bastakiya which was founded by first Iranian traders (spices, textiles and pearls) coming to the Dubai emirate at the beginning of the 20th century. It is famous for the Wind Towers, a brilliant invention by Persians and you will find them everywhere in architecture in Dubai and other parts of the UAE. Nowadays Bastakiya is a good place to visit galleries and merchant shops, cafes or just to stroll around if you get tired of crowded places. A must for cultural tourists is also the Sheikh Mohammend Centre for Cultural Understanding. They offer guided tours in the Jumeirah Mosque, arrange 'cultural breakfasts' and 'cultural lunches', and where you also can meet the locals and ask them questions.

My BA dissertation was on Islamic Tourism and I used Dubai as a case study. As I mentioned before I could not find academic literature on Islamic Tourism and Dubai but Dubai's governmental websites give you many information about its activities and statistics.

During my stay in the UAE I really fell in love with Abu Dhabi (AUH) city, which is the capital. I also intend to go back after I have finished my studies. That is why I use assignments to learn more about Abu Dhabi's tourism structure and projects and hopefully to become an expert and have an advantage once I would start to apply for jobs. Currently I am writting about the Saadiyat Island in Cultural Tourism and I would also write a Destination Management Plan for AUH in Visitor and Destionation Management. So, AUH is my first option for the dissertation. I could:

1. write about Etihad Airline or
2. find out how competitive AUH is or
3. explore the driving forces behind the tourism industry and use AUH as a case study or
4. concentrate on tourism demands and wheter AUH provides the right tourist product.

I do not know yet and I hope after talking to Dr. Peter Chowne (he was involved in the Saadiyat Island project) I would get more ideas.

I have not found out yet how to create a photo album, so I have decided to add pictures here. More information on the UAE will be given as soon as I would have an idea and time....