Survey of 16 ‘megacities’ sees Dubai rank second for economic opportunities and third for authority relationships.

Dubai has proved that it remains a ‘City of Choice’ as the emirate has constantly worked on capabilities to improve residents’ well-being and satisfaction while accommodating their needs.

The emirate has secured its position among the world’s 16 ‘megacities’, achieving a top five status for 2019/20 due to sustainable outcomes in important resident-centric categories, according to a recent survey conducted by Boston Consulting Group (BCG).

Dubai stands out as a leader in two key areas. The first pertains to economic opportunities, which includes living standards and platforms for professional realisation. Dubai has placed second overall with a score of 72, behind only New York. Secondly, Dubai ranked third amongst megacities in the relationship with authorities segment – open and trusted dialogue with authorities a central enabler for widespread satisfaction. Dubai attained a positive score, with a rating of 73 out of 100 surpassed only by Singapore and Toronto.

The second edition of the Cities of Choice global ranking has comprehensively examined cities’ success in upholding and improving population happiness, showcasing their respective rankings against global peers across key dimensions. With the rankings determined based on performance across quality of life, economic opportunities, social capital, speed of change, and relationships with authorities, Dubai boasts an overall score of 55 out of 100.

“The success of any city is defined by the well-being of its residents. By focusing on citizen satisfaction, cities can meet evolving expectations, attract talent to increase economic competitiveness, build trust and commitment for megaproject development, encourage actions that address structural issues, and align diverse interests of multiple groups,” explained Christopher Daniel, managing director and partner, BCG Middle East.

“The importance of such actions has been recognised in Dubai, and subsequent proactive efforts have delivered valuable impacts. These include the series of forward-facing initiatives launched in response to the pandemic, many of which have succeeded in enhancing both quality of life and the local business climate.”

The second edition of the Cities of Choice global ranking and report comprises data on 70 global cities in total and will be released in the upcoming months.

“Now more than ever, resident satisfaction is prone to changes as expectations evolve in line with societal advancement opportunities. Dubai has long been recognised for its propensity to innovate, and this is something that will be important for further enhancing citywide happiness over the coming period,” added Daniel.

“After all, economic opportunities are presenting themselves, and people have already welcomed enhancements to resident-centric processes. We see interaction levels with authorities increasing, with new digital tools not only encouraging residents to provide feedback, but also empowering them to complete transactions seamlessly.”

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