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. -TTN