Dubai (AFP)
The famous Madame Tussauds wax museum has opened its first branch in the Arab world, in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, a wealthy Gulf emirate host of the 2020 World Expo.
"We opened our doors on October 14. We are expecting many local and international visitors," Sanaz Kollsrud, managing director of Madame Tussauds in Dubai, told AFP on Monday.
“We have chosen the talents that are important and popular in the region,” she added.
The wax museum hosts some 60 statues of "world stars", from singer Rihanna to footballer Lionel Messi, six-time Golden Ball.
About fifteen statues represent stars from the Middle East, like Lebanese pop singers Nancy Ajram and Maya Diab.
Poor in oil, the emirate of Dubai, one of the seven members of the United Arab Emirates federation, has diversified its economy by focusing in particular on tourism and the entertainment industry.
The wax statue of American actor Will Smith at Madame Tussauds wax museum, October 18, 2021 in Dubai GIUSEPPE CACACE AFP
The emirate, known for its gigantic skyscrapers and artificial islands, hopes to fill up with tourists with the organization of the Universal Exhibition organized over six months until March 31, 2022.
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