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Indian founder shares Dubai's ground reality amid Middle East conflict: ‘Feels different, but far from being ghost town’
Indian founder Varinder Bansal says Dubai is quieter but functioning normally, dismissing “ghost town” claims amid ongoing Middle East conflict.
An X post by Varinder Bansal, founder of Omkara Capital, is offering a contrasting on-ground view of Dubai amid ongoing tensions in the Middle East. In a detailed post on X, Bansal, currently in Dubai, said that while the city feels quieter, life continues as usual. “I’m currently in Dubai, and here’s what I’m seeing on the ground,” he wrote.
Bansal said that his flight from Mumbai to Dubai via Emirates was completely full, countering claims that travel to the UAE had dropped significantly. “People are still travelling to Dubai. It’s far from empty, contrary to what many social media narratives suggest,” he noted.
However, he acknowledged visible changes after landing. According to him, “The city definitely feels lighter—traffic is down significantly, and tourist presence is visibly lower. I would estimate traffic levels to be down by ~50%,” he said. But despite this, he said there is no sense of panic among residents.
Dubai is ‘far from being a ghost town’
Further, sharing his experience over the past two days, Bansal said malls, restaurants and public spaces remain active. He cited a visit to Mall of the Emirates, saying, “Not overcrowded like peak tourist season, but certainly not a ‘ghost town’ as often portrayed.”
“Shops were active, some restaurants were full, and people were out enjoying themselves,” he said, adding that daily-use stores and cafes remained particularly busy.
Bansal noted that some areas closer to the airport, such as Mirdif, saw more disruption earlier, including reports of drone sightings. But even there, he said, the situation appears to have stabilised. Key areas like Downtown Dubai and Sheikh Zayed Road, he added, continue to function with minimal disruption, apart from occasional precautionary alerts.
Bansal also touched upon the real estate market. “At the higher end—villas above AED 20 million—there are signs of correction, roughly in the 10–20% range. But, deals are not getting closed in this segment as well,” he said. However, he added that the mid-market segment remains stable, with both buyers and sellers adopting a cautious, wait-to-watch approach.
“Yes, Dubai feels different today—less crowded, less chaotic, and quieter due to fewer tourists. But it is far from being a ghost town. The city is functioning, people are working, and daily life continues. The overall sentiment is simple: cautious, but calm. No panic. Just a collective hope that the situation stabilizes soon,” Bansal concluded.
Notably, his post comes against the backdrop of escalating tensions in the Middle East. In February, the US and Israel launched joint strikes on Iran, triggering retaliatory attacks by Iran on American bases and Israeli military targets. The conflict has since disrupted airspace across the Gulf and impacted countries including the UAE, Qatar and Jordan, with evacuations of foreign tourists reported.
