Dubai offers residents visitor discounts to support tourism

Dubai is offering residents more than $800 in discounts and deals if they invite friends and family to visit, the emirate's media office said on Wednesday, as the tourism sector deals with the effects of months of war.

The Dubai media office said the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism had launched a programme called “A Dubai Invite”, asking residents to act as city ambassadors by welcoming loved ones to Dubai. It said the programme would run until the end of October.

Dubai’s government website says residents who invite friends and family between July 20 and October 31 can receive benefits worth more than AED 3,000, or $816. The offers include hotel stays, dining experiences, attraction tickets and other benefits. Residents can nominate people through the website.

Summer is usually a slower tourism period in the United Arab Emirates, where temperatures can reach 50C. Dubai draws 19.5 million tourists a year and is one of the region’s main destinations.

The source said the UAE has not been hit in the latest round of US-Iran escalation, but that war since February damaged the Gulf’s image as a stable haven. It said the United Arab Emirates bore the brunt of Iranian missiles and drones, which hit hotels, including on the Palm, and the Burj Al Arab resort, causing tourists to leave during the winter high season.

Since a ceasefire took effect on April 8, some tourists have returned, but hotels have been relying mostly on local guests, according to people working in the industry.

In May, the Dubai government approved an economic package worth more than $400 million to help businesses affected by the aftermath of the war and Iran’s blockade in the Strait of Hormuz. The measures included municipal fee exemptions for hotels and restaurants, reduced fines for customs violations and lower civil aviation permit fees. In late March, Dubai authorities also announced a first support package worth more than $270 million for businesses and families.