What Are the Benefits of Having the World’s Tallest Building?

What Are the Benefits of Having the World’s Tallest Building? It’s an imposing structure, but do you know what it does? This week on our Dubai in Focus series, we will be discussing what exactly the benefits of having the world’s tallest building are, and whether or not they actually justify the price tag. Let’s see what we can find out!

It’s a source of pride
The Burj Khalifa is not only a source of pride for Dubai, but also one for humanity. To build such a tall structure so quickly shows tremendous skill and vision, and is a reminder that humans are capable of accomplishing great things. No doubt, such an inspiring feat will encourage others to follow in their footsteps. And considering that each year several other super-tall buildings break records around the world, it’s likely more record-breaking buildings will be constructed—much to our collective benefit.

It helps with tourism
The Burj Khalifa has also proven to be a boon for Dubai’s tourism industry, which reported record-breaking growth of 15 percent. The Burj Khalifa is now listed as one of Forbes’ 10 best places in Dubai to visit. More than 30,000 people are projected to visit each day, many coming just to take photographs and enjoy its impressive views. This is good news for Dubai, as tourism has accounted for almost 50 percent of UAE’s GDP over the past five years. By 2017 it is expected that tourist spending will reach $22 billion annually in Dubai alone. In addition to boosting local businesses and providing job opportunities from different sectors, tourism provides tax revenue and contributes towards meeting social needs such as education and health care.

A defining moment in history
The Burj Khalifa is also a defining moment in history. It isn’t just a building; it’s an icon for progress and international collaboration. Its highest occupiable floor is about 700 meters up, which means that most people will never be able to go there. Even those who do will find that many doors are locked and everything is behind glass—you’ll see less than one percent of the building during your visit. But you won’t need to see everything to realize that it has become something far greater than any single company could create on its own—and something that a diverse group of countries made happen together.

People make family trips just to see it
The Burj Khalifa has received worldwide attention since its construction was announced in 2004, but it didn’t truly go viral until Chicago-based Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP unveiled their designs for a 2,717-foot building in 2006. Since then, Dubai has seen an influx of tourists who come to witness Burj Khalifa up close. The numbers aren’t exact yet, but by some estimates they’ve increased tenfold. In addition to tourists, hundreds of companies and businesses have relocated or expanded their operations to Dubai thanks to its worldwide exposure.

Get more business deals due to worldwide publicity
The Burj Khalifa gets an estimated 10 million visitors each year. Not only is it likely to boost tourism, but having Dubai’s tallest building located at one of its busiest intersections could bring in more business deals as executives and businesses are drawn to such a prime location. Overall, tall buildings aren’t just attractive: they can be good for a city’s bottom line. Tall buildings seem to encourage people and businesses to locate nearby, says Skyscraper Sourcebook author Stephe Maines. When one tall building goes up, others follow.

Tourism increases
One of these is its power to bring more tourists to Dubai. Currently, we know that many people choose where they go on vacation based on which places they’ve heard about or seen in movies and advertisements. A big building like Burj Khalifa could make people want to visit Dubai because it’s one-of-a-kind. With recent instability in some Arab countries, including Egypt and Syria, having a record-breaking building would also help put Dubai on tourists’ travel lists—especially with Westerners who might be worried about safety. In other words, having Burj Khalifa as a world tourist attraction would both boost local tourism and support business interests that rely on travel spending by foreigners.

Provides more job opportunities
For many people, being involved in a project like Burj Khalifa is more than just a job – it’s an opportunity to advance their careers and make a difference. According to reports from industry experts, at least 30% of construction workers in Dubai are employed on projects related to Burj Khalifa. That’s more than 16,000 new jobs created directly as a result of Burj Khalifa. This supports our commitment towards sustainability and creating opportunities for underprivileged groups. It also helps support our long-term vision of being leaders in sustainable development globally.

Attracts global companies
The project was financed by Dubai-based Emaar Properties, which says it has already received letters of intent from companies looking to take some 10 million square feet in the building. In addition, a number of international organizations are moving their Dubai offices into Burj Khalifa, including Société Générale and Clifford Chance. The potential tenants include companies that have an interest in green architecture, Emaar says. The tower will also host several facilities focused on environmentally friendly operations; for example, it will feature what its designers claim is the world’s first fully integrated environmentally controlled active daylighting system, which uses motorized shades to control sunlight exposure and conserve energy.