Whats the most visible sign of the times in Qatar, Abu Dhabi, and Dubai?
Cranes. Everywhere you look, dozens of tower cranes poke into the sky, steely evidence of the modern marvels rising from the sand. The locals in Dubai joke about not being able to give visitors accurate directions because the construction of new streets, office buildings, and neighborhoods is happening so fast that the topography changes overnight. Listen to Jim Hogan of Abu Dhabi-based Ethihad Airways when I ask him what’s driving all this growth. “It’s the opening of a new frontier. Geographically, the Gulf is at a natural crossroads of the world, and sectors from construction to tourism are taking advantage of it. Our catchment area is South Asia, the Middle East, and Africa—which has the combined population of China. It creates activity in its own right. This is Asia 10 to 15 years ago. “Aviation is booming in the Gulf. We are four years old and are now the fastest-growing airline in the history of aviation. We hope to have more than 50 aircraft by 2011. Our business is different f
