Dubai back on the map as new building boom begins Other projects include the expansion of Dubai Airport and a Bollywood theme park. The new boom has drawn comparisons to the adrenalin-fuelled building buzz that first gripped Dubai at the start of the 1990s which created the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest skyscraper, the man-made Palm Islands and a string of luxurious hotels. Many of these projects came to an abrupt halt during the global financial crisis which began in 2008 as developers ran out cash and wealthy backers. The state eventually called upon a US$10 billion bailout from Arab neighbour Abu Dhabi to get back on its feet. But now the good times are rolling again, which could lead to thousands of jobs being created in Dubai. This is because the focus has shifted away from housing developments towards entertainment and tourism ventures. Expat workers make up more than 80 per cent of UAE's working population, it is estimated. Mark Stott, CEO of property developers Select Property, said: "These projects are fantastic news for Dubai and will be a huge boost for the economy. What is interesting is that many of these immense projects (Dubai Marina is the largest man-made marina in the world), have quietly been completed when the world wasn't watching. They can now offer everything that residents and businesses require. He added: "Projects of this scale, and those such as the Mohammed bin Rashid City, work because they are designed to offer everything that users - whether that's tourists, residents, business people - want and inevitably struggle to find anywhere else." Dubai Airports, the company that owns and operates Dubai International Airport, is investing the equivalent of £1.3 billion in a bid to increase its capacity for handling passengers and flights.