Ab Majlis Podcast: Snoopy Beats and the rise of Fujairah’s creative economy

“I just got a chance. The place is amazing,” he said. “You have the Indian Ocean, the mountains as a backdrop, one of the few days at sea. Then I connected the dots: music, community, nature, Getaway from Dubai.”

That regular meeting, held at Sandy Beach Resort, his family’s business, was the offspring of Snoopy Beats, one of the UAE’s well-known home festivals. Today, the brand puts out several features including snoopy productions, mini weddings, and snoopy restorations, all under the snoopy umbrella.

“People come to drill once or twice a year, so they need to feel, ‘What are they doing next time?'” Abou DiB said. Arabian business. “Playing on curiosity keeps them engaged, and that’s where I’m multiplied in context and detail. It’s from experimentation.”

While Global DJs have become the Lifeblood of Dubai’s Nightlife Stele, Abou Dib deliberately took a different approach. His focus is on the build, not the hype.

“A lot of events here are losing that sense of engagement,” she said. “They invest in artists, not experiences. For us, an artist works within the environment we create, not the other way around.”

The strategy is slow on the scales, but it is building a loyal following. Each version of Snoopy Beats carries a different theme, from Zootopia to Carnival Island, with a bespoke production built from scratch. It’s hard work, Abou Dib admits, but it’s worth it. “We don’t use anything again. That’s what sustains us.”

The growth of the festival reflects the evolution of Fujairah itself. Once a quiet Emirate, it is now finding its place in the UAE’s creative economy. But the success did not come without controversy.

“My father’s old hospitality said it all, you have to be humane, you have to,” said Abou DiB. “When I started Snoopy Beats, he saw how much I was spending and said, ‘You’re not making any money!’ But now you see the result. The hotel is very popular, the brand is strong. “

The pandemic forced the cancellation of the festival a day before its 2020 schedule. But instead of folding, the broken Abou Dib Pib, started snoopy production to design boutique events for private clients, brands and companies. Later came Snoopy Weddings, who now do more high-profile events, including that big hit at the beginning of the year.

“Snoopy turned food insurance into a lot of business,” he said. “Now I’m bringing them together under a company that’s involved and building the right teams around each one.”

He is running a home festival, he said, he is not one who has a burning heart.

“Mega clubs in Dubai end up spinning big DJs, and the crowd just follows. With domestic festivals, you spend a lot of money on musicians or a low sword. That’s a low sword. That’s a low sword. That’s a low sword,” he said.

Having a resort as a foundation gives him advantages, from infrastructure to employees, but scaling is always difficult. “Dubai has its own tables and top vendors. We have a community. People come to snorkel, camp, dance.”

The next edition of Snoopy Beats is scheduled for the weekend of Halloopy weekend, produced by Lebanon Conferact Sun and YoYaku, marking the Paris Label’s 10th Divelcase exhibition in the UAE.

“We are working with promoters from Lebanon, Paris, even Saudi,” said Abou DiB. “The regional situation is opening up. People traveling between Saudi, Lebanon, Jordan, and Fujarah should be part of that map.”

With abou dib, it’s never just about groups. It’s about people.

“My definition of hospitality is hosting, not just selling a room and breakfast,” he said. “It’s about making a change in the experience that allows people to reconnect with their inner child.”

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