There’s no denying social media plays a huge part in all of our lives, and throughout recent years we’ve seen scores of influencers turn regular posting into lucrative full-time careers. Whether it be gaming, fashion, comedy or even cooking, creators have capitalised on the ever-growing industry in their droves, and the fitness community has been no different. Platforms such as Instagram, YouTube and TikTok have afforded thousands of fitness and lifestyle influencers the chance to live their dream and inspire countless others worldwide. Given the nature of the job, their ‘office’ can be anywhere with a gym and good enough connectivity to post – which is pretty much everywhere now, right? So, it’s no surprise many models and fitness influencers have chosen Dubai as their permanent base, with the Gulf Tiger even becoming known as the world’s influencer capital. But why is this? Well, in this article we’ll take a look at why so many of social media’s elite creators have swapped their homeland for the city.
3 Reasons Why Fitness Influencers Move To Live In Dubai
The Lifestyle
We’ll start with an obvious one: the lifestyle. Dubai has become one of the world’s leading tourist destinations and a playground for the rich and famous. A huge portion of its total economy relies on those who come and splash their cash in the city, and the last few years have seen a rapid expansion of lavish bars, restaurants, sport and leisure clubs and anything else one could desire as a result. For fitness influencers, this creates a perfect work hard, play hard balance which makes so many of us stop and stare in awe while scrolling through our Instagram Discovery page. After all, what could be more impressive than putting in a blood boiling workout before switching into something more classy, hopping in your supercar and driving it through the dunes to a reservation at Dubai’s Nobu restaurant? Or even better, switching the rainy England commute for a jetski ride with the Burj Al Arab as a backdrop? For influencers working hard to sculpt their bodies, they need somewhere with a mixture of gorgeous beaches, sunshine and class to show it off – and Dubai fits that bill to a tee.
Brands and Collaborations
Influencers and companies enjoy a symbiotic relationship. While one side benefits from exposure to a collective bank of millions of followers, the other gets to continue living lavishly with a host of free products as a result. So, as more and more influencers flocked to the United Arab Emirates to sample the lifestyle, so did some of the world’s biggest brands. Athletes living and training in Dubai now represent some of the most notorious and popular protein and clothing labels worldwide, including Andrei Deiu, who recently became the face of Boohooman Active and Evogen Nutrition. Traditional advertising as we know it has made way for a new wave of social media promotion, and where better to show off your brand than the sun-soaked landscape of Dubai in the hands of a goddess with washboard abs? But it isn’t just the brands which benefit from setting up base in Golf Tiger. For influencers, it also makes sense to surround themselves with other like minded creators. Collaborations and crossovers are something we all get excited about with our favourite athletes, and sharing the same gyms and restaurants allows them to create fresh content and pick up new followers from each other’s channels.
The Gyms and Coaches
For fitness influencers and bodybuilders who spend the lion’s share of their time training, they might as well do it in a nice gym, right? Well, Dubai is packed full of great facilities which would be the envy of any avid gym bunny. From the skyline fitness suite complete with infinity pool at the Vida Creek Harbour hotel to the 10,000 sq ft space at Platform Studios, Dubai has everything from the luxurious to classic spit and sawdust style pumphouses. But it isn’t just the facilities which are top-rate. Some of the world’s most successful trainers such as Ahmad Askar, Coach Meddy and seven-time Mr Olympia winning Hany Rambod base themselves in Dubai, and bodybuilders, influencers and professional athletes flock to the city in their droves in hope of getting onto their roster – or even just to simply train at their gyms. As Oprah Winfrey once said, “surround yourself with only people who are going to lift you higher.”
