News Desk
DUBAI: Uber UAE, in partnership with #MyDubai, launched Dubai Backseat Stories, a campaign that reflects the shared ambition of Uber and #MyDubai to showcase Dubai through the people who visit, live and work in the city, celebrating the unique experiences, personal memories and everyday moments that make Dubai feel like home.
Running until 14 October, the campaign brings “Our Stories, Our City” to participating Uber rides across the city. #MyDubai and Uber are inviting residents to reflect on the places, memories and experiences that have shaped their connection to Dubai through question cards placed in the backseat. The initiative taps into a familiar Uber experience: some of the most candid and meaningful conversations happen in the back of an Uber.
Storytelling has long been part of the fabric of life in the UAE, passed from one person to another through conversations in majlis, family gatherings and everyday socialising. Dubai Backseat Stories brings that tradition into a new setting, in the form of the backseat of an Uber, where people can share memories and experiences that have become part of their own Dubai story.
The campaign builds on the momentum of the #MyDubai initiative, which was launched in 2014 by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, to celebrate the everyday lives of people in the emirate and showcase their diverse experiences and adventures. The #MyDubai initiative has succeeded in showcasing beautiful aspects of life in the city, its unique identity, and its authentic culture to the world, inspired by His Highness’s call to create an autobiography of Dubai through social media, and playing a vital role in reinforcing Dubai’s status as a preferred destination to visit, live and work in. The campaign reached 1 million hashtag uses within its first six months and has now engaged overmore recently in 2025, the campaign has 1,500+ advocates and built a reach of more than 3.1 million online.
As the #MyDubai community continues to grow, the initiative is reaching new and diverse audiences. Its collaboration with Uber creates an opportunity to extend these authentic stories to a wider audience in Dubai, while also introducing Dubai’s people, places and experiences to global audiences through Uber’s international community.
Everyone has a favourite Dubai place or memory. It might be the neighbourhood you first called home, the restaurant you always take friends to, a hidden beach, a favourite late-night spot or a moment you’ll never forget. The “Our Stories, Our City” cards give residents a simple way to spark these conversations during everyday Uber rides and share the places they love, the memories they’ve made and the experiences that have shaped their view of Dubai.
Prompts featured inside the vehicles include:
- “What is a local hidden gem in Dubai that tourists usually miss?”
- “Describe your very first week moving to Dubai in three words.”
- “What is the most memorable conversation you’ve ever had during a journey across the city?”
Together, these stories bring to life the people, places and memories that make Dubai special.
How to Join the Conversation:
- Pick Up a Card: Find the “Our Stories, Our City” deck in the backseat of participating Uber rides until 14th October
- Share Your Story: Reflect on the prompt and share your personal Dubai story using #DubaiBackseatStories.
- Celebrate the City: Selected stories will be showcased across official city channels to highlight the real people and memories shaping Dubai’s culture, with featured participants receiving Uber ride credits.
Aida Al Busaidy, Vice President – Social & Consumer Advocacy at the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), said: “#MyDubai has always been about telling the story of the city through the people who experience it every day. Dubai Backseat Stories creates a simple, engaging way for residents to share the places they love, the memories they have made and the everyday moments that shape their connection to Dubai. Our collaboration with Uber gives these stories a new platform, bringing authentic voices together to showcase the diversity, energy and character of the city, adding one more chapter to an ever-evolving metropolis driven by nearly 200 nationalities.”
Tala Nsouli, General Manager at Uber in the UAE, said: “Dubai is a city built on connection, bringing together people and experiences from all walks of life. Through ‘Dubai Backseat Stories’, we’re proud to partner with #MyDubai to spotlight the personal stories and perspectives that make the city so special.”