A new report by online recruiter GulfTalent says Dubai lost 17% of its professional workforce in 2009, most of which were Western foreign nationals, Reuters has reported. 'One of the biggest developments of 2009 has been a change in the fortunes of Dubai, from the fastest-growing hub in the region, sucking in much of the expatriate talent, to the city experiencing the region's most severe downturn,' the report said. Despite Dubai's woes, the UAE remained the most attractive market in the region for expatriate professionals, with 74% of people surveyed by GulfTalent saying they wished to stay there.