Dubai transforms its residents into tourist promoters of the city as a response to the slowdown in flows due to the war in Iran which involves the entire Gulf region. The Department of Economy and Tourism of the emirate launches “Dubai Invite”, a program that recognizes benefits for a total value of more than 3,000 dirhams, equivalent to around 700-720 euros, to those who invite friends or family living abroad.
What does anyone who brings a tourist to Dubai receive
The declared value of the package exceeds 3,000 dirhams and includes discounts at hotels, restaurants, attractions and leisure services. Among the operators indicated by the local press are properties such as W Dubai Mina Seyahi, The Westin Dubai Mina Seyahi, Le Méridien Mina Seyahi, Meliá Desert Palm and hotels of the Ihg group, as well as the mobility services Careem and Hala.
Some offers may include overnight stays, while others consist of price reductions or experiences included. The official presentation of the program is aimed directly at those who live in the emirate with the slogan: “You’re their best reason to visit”. The Visit Dubai portal invites residents to bring their loved ones to the city before October 31st, so as to unlock the benefits made available by hotels, clubs and attractions.
Who can get the 700 euro bonus
Citizens and residents of the United Arab Emirates who are at least 18 years old and have a valid Emirates ID are eligible to participate. To join, they must complete the form published on the official Visit Dubai website and indicate the data of the person invited: name, passport number, nationality, date of birth, relationship with the resident and expected month of arrival.
Guests must live outside the Emirates, travel on a valid tourist visa or be eligible for a visa on arrival and reach Dubai, by air, land or sea, between 20 July and 31 October 2026. Each visitor can only be nominated once: if they have already been registered by another resident, the second nomination does not generate any reward.
You can include up to five visitors in the same process, but each resident can receive a maximum of three benefit packages during the entire campaign. Applications must be submitted by September 30, while guests have until the end of October to enter the emirate. The system automatically verifies the visitor’s entry through the databases of the UAE authorities. The resident therefore does not have to send airline tickets or manually communicate the arrival. According to information released by the local press, the communication should arrive within 72 hours of the guest’s entry.
Why Dubai pays residents to invite tourists
The program comes after a record-breaking 2025. But the data is getting worse. In the first quarter of 2026, 18.6 million passengers passed through, 20.6% less than in the same period of the previous year. The heaviest data concerns March, when passengers drop to 2.5 million, with a contraction of 65.7% on an annual basis. Dubai Airport’s own management company attributes the decline to regional airspace restrictions and disruptions that intensified during the month.
The Guardian thus links the launch of the initiative to the subsequent slowdown in tourism caused by tensions and conflict in the region, which reduce air connections and increase travellers’ caution. According to the newspaper’s reconstruction, the tensions have damaged above all two central elements of the emirate’s tourist offer: the ease of international connections and the image of Dubai as a safe destination relatively isolated from the instability of the Middle East. In addition, the number of companies operating in the city’s airports would have halved, some hotels would have recorded numerous empty rooms and several businesses would have suffered reductions in revenues of more than 50%.