Tourism chiefs to use residents’ photos to promote emirate

Launched by Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed, the Crown Prince of Dubai, the campaign aims to encourage people to use social media to write an ‘autobiography’ of the emirate telling human stories of life in the city.

If a tourism visa is rejected for security reasons, the applicant cannot find out why. Photo: Dubai Tourism

DUBAI// Tourism bosses will select residents’ best photographs and videos and showcase them in exhibitions and roadshows as part of the year-long #MyDubai initiative.

Launched by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, the campaign aims to encourage people to use social media to write an "autobiography" about the emirate, telling stories of life in the city.

Residents and visitors can use Twitter, Instagram and Facebook to post stories, photos and videos of their experiences.

Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce (DTCM) will use these images to help promote the city around the world throughout the year.

“As His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, stated, the remarkable passion for Dubai that exists amongst both UAE nationals and the communities of more than 200 nationalities living in Dubai is an often untold part of the emirate’s success,” said Helal Saeed Almarri, director general of the department.

“The best marketers of a city are the people who live in it and through DTCM’s involvement in #MyDubai it is our intention to showcase the best of the city by curating images, videos and stories of residents experiencing the events, attractions, hotels, restaurants and other elements of our destination.”

A number of projects will be launched throughout the year by the department as part of #MyDubai, Mr Almarri said.

More than 25,000 images and videos were uploaded to Instagram using #MyDubai just 12 hours after the campaign was launched.

The best contributions will be put on a variety of DTCM social media channels during the year.

The department has already posted 10 images since the project was announced on Sunday.

The images can be seen at www.facebook.com/DefinitelyDubai.