Discounts reaching 45 percent on hotel stays, resort credits matching full room rates, and rebates on taxi fares are among the incentives now available to Dubai residents who bring family or friends into the city under a newly launched tourism initiative.
The program, called “A Dubai Invite,” was developed by the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism and runs through October 31, 2026. It positions the emirate’s residents — drawn from close to 200 nationalities — as informal ambassadors for the destination, rewarding them for hosting visitors from abroad.
Eligibility hinges on timing. Guests must land in Dubai between July 20 and October 31, 2026, and their hosts are required to register them on the program’s official platform no later than September 30. Registration alone does not unlock anything; each arrival is checked through a single verification channel operated with the General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai.
Cleared registrations open access to offers spread across hotels, leisure venues, dining outlets, and lifestyle sites. The cap is three verified benefits per resident for the entire period, allocated at a rate of one benefit for each visiting party.
Hotel participants include W Dubai Mina Seyahi, The Westin Dubai Mina Seyahi Beach Resort & Marina, Le Meridien Mina Seyahi Beach Resort & Waterpark, Melia Desert Palm, and ME Dubai by Melia, alongside IHG Hotels & Resorts properties throughout the city. On the attractions side, Aquaventure Waterpark, IMG Worlds of Adventure, and Grand Hyatt Waterpark are taking part, while restaurant offers cover Asia Asia, Ula, Papas, The 305, and Lock, Stock & Barrel. Careem has attached complimentary Plus membership and fare rebates on Hala Taxi and other transport options.
Residents who register in time are not bound to the arrival window when redeeming. Every promotion stays valid until December 31, 2026, well after most guests will have flown home.
Noor Al Geziry, AVP, Special Projects & MENA at DET, framed the scheme around the credibility of personal recommendation. “Our diverse resident population have always been among our most powerful and trusted ambassadors, with a deep knowledge of the destination and the ability to share their personal experience with their loved ones,” she said.
“At a time when personal connection and credibility matter more than ever in travel decisions, ‘A Dubai Invite’ speaks directly to what makes this city enduringly compelling: the people who call it home and who understand it best, and the families and friends they welcome here to experience it for themselves.”
According to the DET official, the initiative supports the goal of making Dubai the leading city in which to visit, live, and work, and is tied to the objectives of the UAE’s Year of Family.
