The Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) has unveiled ‘Beyond the Ordinary’, a new citywide destination project developed in partnership with XDubai and Red Bull athletes. The production takes viewers on a continuous journey through Dubai’s sky, coastline, desert and urban landscape, showcasing the city’s diverse attractions alongside the infrastructure and expertise supporting large-scale projects.
Featuring athletes
from XDubai and Red Bull, the stunt-driven production highlights Dubai’s
ability to bring together multiple locations, disciplines, specialist teams and
public-private partners in a single coordinated experience. The project is
positioned as an expression of the Dubai Economic Agenda, D33, and its ambition
to further strengthen Dubai’s position as a global city for business and
leisure.
Rather than presenting
individual stunts separately, ‘Beyond the Ordinary’ connects the performances
into one continuous sequence, moving from the skies above Palm Jumeirah to
Dubai’s coastline, Margham Desert and the heart of the city. The production brings
together contrasting environments while highlighting the operational
coordination required to deliver an ambitious citywide project.
The project features
Emirati athletes Mohammed Balooshi, Captain Husam Gamal and Ahmed Alshehhi
alongside internationally recognised athletes from Red Bull and XDubai. Their
participation places homegrown talent alongside global sporting names and
highlights Dubai as a platform where Emirati and international athletes can
train, compete and perform.
Shared through Visit
Dubai’s channels, as well as those of participating partners and athletes, and
supported by international amplification, the project aims to showcase both
Dubai’s destination offering and its ability to support complex productions at
scale.
Aida Al Busaidy, Vice
President – Social & Consumer Advocacy at the Dubai Department of Economy
and Tourism (DET), said: “Dubai’s ability to offer a striking coastline, open
desert, globally recognised landmarks and vibrant urban experiences within one
destination is central to what makes the city distinctive. However, ‘Beyond the
Ordinary’ is about more than the landscapes Dubai has to offer. Dubai has
always believed in a vision of continuous growth, and has acted on that vision
by building the infrastructure, systems and partnerships that allow ideas,
businesses and people to flourish. It creates the conditions for people to
move, live, explore and express their talent, and for ambitious projects like
this to come to life through collaboration, innovation and shared purpose.
Bringing government, global brands, hospitality partners and specialist teams
together across a number of sites within a short timeframe demonstrates the
strength of Dubai’s ecosystem and the agility, creativity and collective
commitment that enable imagination to move from concept to delivery here.
“Seeing Emirati
athletes perform alongside international names also reflects Dubai’s role as a
platform for opportunity, where all homegrown and global talent can gain
visibility, push boundaries and showcase their abilities to audiences around
the world. Through the campaign and the reach of our partners, we want global
audiences to discover both what Dubai offers and what the city makes possible.”
The journey begins
above Dubai, with Spanish Red Bull athlete Dani Román and Emirati XDubai
athlete Ahmed Alshehhi performing a wingsuit sequence over Palm Jumeirah, Ain
Dubai, Dubai Marina and the wider skyline. Captain Husam Gamal then follows
with an aerobatic display over Palm Jumeirah, with landmarks including Atlantis
The Palm and Atlantis The Royal forming part of the backdrop.
The production then
transitions from air to water. Greek Red Bull athlete and world paramotor
champion Dimitris Kolliakos flies by paramotor along the Palm and Dubai
coastline, while Dan Van Dooren, co-founder of Surf House Dubai, performs an
e-foil sequence near Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab and Jumeirah Beach Hotel.
The next stage moves
away from the coastline and into the desert. In Margham Desert, Emirati Red
Bull athlete Mohammed Balooshi introduces the motocross and desert-rally
segment. Balooshi is the first Emirati rider to compete in the Dakar Rally,
bringing an Emirati dimension to the production through a display centred on
endurance and off-road sport.
Mohammad Javad,
Executive Vice President of Leisure & Entertainment at Shamal Holding,
said: “At XDubai, we have always pushed the boundaries of what is possible,
bringing extraordinary experiences to life in a city known for setting new
standards every day. ‘Beyond the Ordinary’ takes that ambition to another
level, bringing together world-class athletes, multiple disciplines and some of
the city’s most iconic locations in one continuous journey. Connecting a
wingsuit flight above Palm Jumeirah with motocross in Margham Desert and a
freestyle finale in the heart of the city requires precision, expertise and
coordination at every stage. It is exactly the kind of challenge XDubai was
built to take on, and there is no better place to make it happen than Dubai.”
The journey ultimately
returns to Dubai’s urban environment, where French Red Bull athlete and
freestyle football world champion Séan Garnier delivers the finale at One
Za’abeel. The sequence incorporates Dubai Police and Porsche, connecting the
various locations and sporting disciplines featured throughout the production.
Mohammed Balooshi,
Emirati Red Bull motocross and desert-rally athlete, said: “Bringing together
athletes from different disciplines across Dubai’s desert, coastline and
skyline shows why this city is such a special setting for sport. Every
landscape brings a different challenge and a different energy. As an Emirati
athlete, I am proud to compete alongside some of the best in the world and to
show this side of Dubai to a global audience.”
The project involved a
broad network of organisations across Dubai’s tourism, sport and lifestyle
sectors. Alongside XDubai and Red Bull UAE, participating partners included
Atlantis The Palm, Atlantis The Royal, Dubai Police, Jumeirah, One Za’abeel,
Platinum Heritage, Porsche Middle East and Africa, and Skydive Dubai.
The breadth of
participation reflects the public-private partnership model supporting Dubai’s
tourism and destination development. The project required coordination between
government entities, global brands, hospitality groups, specialist operators
and athletes across multiple locations.
‘Beyond the Ordinary’
comes as Dubai enters the final quarter of 2026 with a busy events calendar and
aims to demonstrate the city’s capacity to deliver large-scale experiences
combining sport, entertainment, tourism and distinctive destinations.
By connecting Dubai’s skyline, coastline, desert and urban landmarks in a single production, the project presents the city not only as a destination for visitors but also as a setting capable of supporting ambitious ideas through coordinated expertise, infrastructure and partnerships. -TradeArabia News Service