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Dubai official hits back after British podcaster calls city 'one of the most awful places'
In an open letter, DMCC chief Ahmed bin Sulayem noted the irony that Williamson plans to include Dubai as part of his 2026 world tour
- PUBLISHED: Mon 15 Sept 2025, 4:18 PM UPDATED: Mon 15 Sept 2025, 6:01 PM
DMCC Executive Chairman and CEO Ahmed Bin Sulayem has hit back at British podcaster Chris Williamson’s criticism of Dubai, calling his remarks a “gross disservice” to a city home to millions of expats and widely regarded as one of the world’s most successful multicultural hubs.
Williamson, a former reality TV contestant turned podcast host, had described Dubai as a place of “shallowness” with “very little soul” and even “one of the most awful places on the planet.” The comments came during a recent episode with US fitness expert Dr Mike Israetel.
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In an open letter, Bin Sulayem accused Williamson of being “poorly informed or commercially motivated,” noting the irony of his decision to include Dubai in his Self Discovery World Tour 2026.
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Speaking to Khaleej Times, Bin Sulayem explained his decision to respond publicly.
“Everyone is welcome to have an opinion about the places they visit,” he said. “Williamson could have said that he felt his experience in Dubai showcased superficiality, or that some of the venues he visited were contrived — both of which are untrue if he’d bothered to scratch beneath the surface. But to refer to Dubai as ‘one of the most awful places on the planet’ and to accuse the city of being built on ‘slave labour’ is a gross disservice to one of the world’s multicultural success stories, its local community and the millions of expats that call it home.”
On why he chose the open letter, he said: “An open letter is transparent and on the record. It allows me to lay out facts, context, and an invitation in one place without reducing a complex city to a soundbite. We welcome constructive criticism. What I am asking for is higher quality criticism. If Chris visits, engages, and still feels Dubai is the most awful place, we can agree to disagree, but extraordinary claims require evidence.”
He added that the letter will also be shared on Substack and LinkedIn this week to ensure it reaches a wider audience.
Asked about his remark that Williamson’s comments were “lobbied, poorly informed or commercially motivated,” Bin Sulayem clarified: “To be precise, I said the remarks read like one of three things: a view formed from limited exposure to the city; a reliance on familiar clichés that perform well online; or framing designed to provoke engagement. I am not alleging a specific arrangement. I am pointing to patterns we all recognise in modern media. When you call a place one of the most awful on the planet and simultaneously schedule a show there for 2026, it raises questions of integrity and consistency.”
Ignorance of clickbait
Pressed on whether he saw the remarks as ignorance or clickbait, he replied: “Whatever the intent, the effect was clickbait. It was a claim that travels farther than nuance. The remedy is not outrage. The remedy is contact. Come to Dubai, meet residents from every background, and test the claims against reality. If after that he still feels the same, Dubai may not be for him. What he cannot do is suggest that his view reflects the experience of people who live here or those moving here. In a connected world, people can see the city for themselves.”
Bin Sulayem also used both his letter and his remarks to correct common misconceptions. He rejected the allegation that Dubai was “built on slave labour,” calling it “outdated and factually incorrect,” and pointed instead to labour reforms and a wage protection system.
On safety, he contrasted Dubai with major Western cities. “In London and Paris, wearing an expensive watch has become a risk because of rampant crime. In the US, violent incidents occur in public with little intervention. Yet despite such dystopian disorder, it would still be unfair to call those countries the most awful places. The same courtesy should apply to Dubai.”
Citing official figures, he noted that Dubai welcomed 9.88 million visitors in the first half of 2025, up six per cent year-on-year, while its population grew by 169,000 in 2024 , the fastest increase since 2018. “Far from taking a ‘Dubai break,’ it begs the question why the global community continues to either visit or seek residency in increasing numbers,” he said.
Bin Sulayem closed by extending an invitation to Williamson to visit Dubai ahead of his 2026 tour, promising to show him the city through the eyes of residents. “Through this lens, he will see what Dubai truly has to offer and gain a better understanding of the common threads that bind our communities together,” he said.
Mazhar Farooqui, or Maz, is a multiple award-winning investigative journalist and Senior Editor at Khaleej Times. Renowned for exposing corruption and uncovering major scams, he is also the author of The Maz Files: Scoops, Scams & Showdowns.