Zac Efron and Jessica Alba star in action-packed Dubai Tourism campaign


Farah Andrews
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Dubai Tourism has a history of attracting some of the biggest names in film to its campaigns, and the latest is no disappointment.

In a spoof of an action film, American actors Zac Efron and Jessica Alba star in a Dubai Presents campaign, which sees them skydive off the Burj Al Arab, take a dip in the seven-star hotel's pool, dine at famously romantic restaurant Pierchic and pose in front of the Museum of the Future, the latest addition to Dubai's glittering skyline.

The pair also appear to race through the emirate's sand dunes, whizz through Madinat Jumeirah's waterways on a speed boat, navigate Al Fahidi on scooters and take on bad guys at Al Muntaha, the restaurant on the 27th floor of the Burj Al Arab.

Efron posted the video to his Instagram on Tuesday, with the tongue-in-cheek caption: "She’s always getting me out of trouble..."

Alba is yet to post the video to her own social media, but both actors posted behind the scenes tears images this week.

On Instagram, Efron tagged Australian director Craig Gillespie, the filmmaker behind I, Tonya (2017) and Lars and the Real Girl (2007).

Past stars to feature in Dubai Tourism campaigns include Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan, Gwyneth Paltrow and Kate Hudson.

In April 2019, Khan invited Paltrow to Dubai as part of his #BeMyGuest campaign.

In the video called The Revelation, which was the sixth episode to be released in the series in 2019, Khan is shown bumping into Hollywood actress Gwyneth Paltrow on a beach.

The #BeMyGuest adventure campaign followed the Bollywood star on a quest around Dubai, showcasing some of the city’s biggest attractions and more famous landmarks, including Souk Madinat Jumeirah, La Mer, IMG Worlds of Adventure, City Walk, La Perle and Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood.

Later that year, in November, Paltrow starred in another campaign with Hudson and fellow actor Zoe Saldana, in Dubai Tourism's A Story Takes Flight short film and campaign.

Goop founder Paltrow spoke about her time filming in Dubai, saying: "One of my favourite parts of travelling is to truly connect with a city, its people and the local culture. Dubai is special because it's a melting pot. Both the ones born here, who are so proud of their heritage, and those who are recent transplants, bringing with them their own values and traditions, contribute to writing the future story of the city.

"My time in Dubai was beyond anything I expected and there’s still so much more to see.”


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Dust and sand storms compared

Sand storm

  • Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
  • Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
  • Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
  • Travel distance: Limited 
  • Source: Open desert areas with strong winds

Dust storm

  • Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
  • Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
  • Duration: Can linger for days
  • Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
  • Source: Can be carried from distant regions
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MATCH INFO

Manchester City 1 Chelsea 0
De Bruyne (70')

Man of the Match: Kevin de Bruyne (Manchester City)

Updated: August 03, 2021, 2:09 PM