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The shimmering coastline of Dubai’s tree-shaped Palm Jumeirah island is known for its posh apartments, glitzy hotels, and upscale restaurants—but the lights in this exclusive enclave, like much of the city, have started to dim.
That’s because Dubai’s economy, built on the hopes of globalization, was on thin ice long before the pandemic.
In 2018 and 2019, the image-conscience emirate had reportedly kept the lights on in some emptied skyscrapers and hotels to maintain its reputation as an “instagramable” destination.