By Omar El Chmouri, Bloomberg News

They may be more than 8,000 miles apart, but Dubai and Las Vegas are becoming oddly alike, particularly where tourism is concerned. For one thing, both are doubling down on large-scale events and good winter weather as reasons to visit. The emirate’s first casino licenses are on the horizon. And now, Dubai has beat Las Vegas at one of its own games. According to new data pulled for Bloomberg by real estate analyst CoStar Group, the Middle Eastern city now has more hotel rooms than America’s resort capital.

For years, Dubai thrived as a transfer hub — a city people would fly through but not stay in. Hotel infrastructure proves that has changed. Asking visitors to stay in town — rather than transiting through the airport on a layover — requires the matchi

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