How Dubai’s Identity Lives Through Its Homegrown Businesses

Local businesses often offer far more than products and services. They also strengthen people’s cultural identity and emotional connection to the communities around them. One indication of this can be seen in a 2025 McKinsey consumer survey across major global markets, which found that 36% of consumers prefer local brands, while another 20% said such brands better reflect their needs and lifestyles.

But it is equally intriguing to look at the relationship the other way around: how much does a city itself shape the businesses built within it? 

A conversation with Donna Benton, founder of The ENTERTAINER, reveals the subtle yet powerful influence Dubai has had on both the evolution of her business and her own personal growth.

Melbourne-born Donna Benton was just 26 years old when she arrived in Dubai with US$3,000 in her pocket. What began as an idea for a printed voucher book in 2001 later evolved into one of the Middle East’s most recognized lifestyle and technology platforms, connecting millions of consumers with thousands of merchants across multiple markets. 

Along the way, Donna became one of the UAE’s most recognizable self-made female entrepreneurs, crediting much of her journey to the city itself. 

“Dubai has always been a city that embraces new ideas, cultures and experiences,” Donna says. “That spirit is reflected in everything we do at The ENTERTAINER. Whether it is authentic global cuisines, emerging wellness concepts, premium hospitality experiences or family entertainment, our platform reflects the international energy and lifestyle-driven culture that defines Dubai today.”

Over more than two decades, The ENTERTAINER has become part of the daily lives of millions of residents and visitors, helping shape how consumers discover and enjoy dining, leisure, wellness, travel and entertainment experiences across the region. Today, the company continues to invest in technology, personalization and artificial intelligence to create more intuitive and engaging customer experiences while helping merchants connect more effectively with consumers.

Recently, The ENTERTAINER stood alongside Dubai and the wider GCC during a period of regional escalation in 2026 by launching its “Our Home. Our Heart.” initiative, through which it distributed hundreds of thousands of complimentary memberships across the region. The initiative evolved into one of the GCC’s largest community-driven engagement campaigns for restaurants, leisure venues, and service providers.

Another example of the important role dining and hospitality play in Dubai’s social fabric, especially during challenging times, comes from Dubai-founded premium lifestyle and dining membership platform SupperClub that recently launched a community-focused initiative offering complimentary Diamond memberships for 12 months for UAE residents.

To further support the local restaurant sector and encourage members to dine more, the company also introduced AED300 toward a future booking when a member visits three different partner restaurants within 60 days.

SupperClub has been closely attuned to Dubai’s culture and energy ever since launching in 2020, recognizing that success in a city like Dubai requires membership platforms to offer far more than simple access alone.

Mehreen Omar, co-founder and CEO of SupperClub Global, which operates a network of more than 1,000 world-class venues for over 50,000 subscribers globally, explains that the premium appeal of her business mirrors Dubai itself. 

“Dubai is unique and, in some respects, discreet,” Omar says. “Our members never have to ask for a discount or share a code on a screen at a restaurant. It’s effortless, it’s already taken care of; invisible to the room but very real to our community. Dubai is also much more than a city; it’s a mindset, a way of being. We deeply consider our members’ mindsets, embedding subtle details to ensure every experience is seamless.

“Dubai’s relentless ambition is in our DNA, its infectious belief that if you can imagine it, you can build it. We are proud to be a platform that started local, and thanks to our community, we have become a global business born out of Dubai. We are moving the way the city moves, with confidence and always striving for the best.”

If dining and hospitality are among the ways people experience Dubai, fashion and lifestyle brands offer another lens through which the city’s identity is expressed.

UAE-born sustainable streetwear and athleisure brand The Giving Movement is another homegrown business shaped by consumers increasingly valuing local identity, emotional connection, and purpose-driven brands.

Launched in 2020, The Giving Movement champions regional identity, modest fashion influences, and minimalist streetwear aesthetics. The company also donates a percentage of its profits to charitable causes, including Dubai Cares.

“Dubai is often associated with scale and ambition, but what is increasingly defining the city is intention, building with meaning, not just momentum. That is something we consciously reflect,” explains Rania Masri El Khatib, CEO, The Giving Movement. “Ultimately, what feels distinctly “Dubai” is the forward energy. It’s an experience that feels current, confident, and always in motion.”

Even global corporations such as Visa appear increasingly influenced by Dubai’s evolving cultural and entrepreneurial identity. 

While the city is globally recognized for its large-scale attractions and luxury hospitality, much of its character is rooted in independent businesses, creative concepts, and neighborhood communities. 

Set against this backdrop, the relationship between city and business becomes a two-way exchange, not just what is built in Dubai, but how it is experienced. It is often through smaller, more personal moments that the city reveals itself, and platforms like Visa Destinations Dubai are helping bring these experiences into focus, spotlighting homegrown businesses such as The ENTERTAINER, SupperClub, and The Giving Movement. 

That spirit extends into Visa’s ‘Homegrown & Happening’ event, taking place on June 4 at Cinema Akil, where founders, creatives, and ecosystem voices come together to share perspectives on resilience, growth, and building from within. Featuring speakers including Rania Masri El Khatib, the gathering sets the tone for the wider (Imperfect) Homegrown Market and guide, highlighting the people and ideas shaping Dubai’s evolving identity.

Taken together, the ENTERTAINER’s community-driven campaigns, SupperClub’s reimagining of hospitality experiences, The Giving Movement’s purpose-led fashion, and Visa’s efforts to spotlight homegrown concepts, these businesses and initiatives show how Dubai’s ambition, diversity, resilience, and entrepreneurial spirit become embedded in the brands built within it.

Related: Visa Launches Neighborhood-First Campaign to Spotlight UAE Homegrown Businesses