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Dubai’s Invite Scheme
Dubai has launched “A Dubai Invite,” a new incentive programme encouraging residents to invite friends and relatives from overseas, offering rewards worth more than 3,000 dirhams (€716) as the emirate seeks to strengthen international tourism.
“São Paulo — Dubai, United Arab Emirates, is offering more than AED 3,000 in benefits—equivalent to about USD 817 at Wednesday’s (22) exchange rate—to residents who attract visitors to the emirate, according to Visit Dubai, the emirate’s official tourism website operated by the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET)”
The initiative, introduced by Dubai's Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), is open to residents and citizens aged 18 and over who hold a valid Emirates ID, and each application can include up to five visitors with no limit on the number of submissions.
Eligible visitors must live outside the UAE and enter on either a tourist visa or a visa on arrival, with arrival verified automatically through government systems while travel, visa and accommodation costs remain the responsibility of the visitors.
To qualify, guests must arrive between 20 July and 31 October, and rewards can be redeemed until 31 December, including hotel discounts of up to 45% at selected properties and reduced admission to attractions such as Aquaventure Waterpark and IMG Worlds of Adventure.
The programme is framed as arriving during Dubai's traditionally quiet summer tourism season, when temperatures regularly exceed 50°C, and amid months of regional instability tied to the US-Iran conflict.
War’s Impact on Arrivals
The Dubai tourism push comes as the US-Iran war has battered the emirate’s visitor numbers, with the Kathimerini.cy report saying fighting began on 28 February when the United States and Israel carried out coordinated strikes on targets in Iran.
Kathimerini.cy adds that Iran responded by launching missiles and drones towards Gulf countries hosting US military facilities, with Dubai among the locations affected, and authorities reported minor fires caused by drone debris at the Burj Al Arab and near Palm Jumeirah.
The Straits Times reports that while the UAE has so far not been hit in the latest round of US-Iran escalation, the war that erupted in February shattered the Gulf’s image as a haven of stability, with Tehran directing its fury at the oil-rich region.
The Straits Times also says that since a shaky ceasefire came into effect on April 8 some tourists have trickled in, but hotels are mostly relying on local guests, people working in the industry told AFP.
In parallel, Kathimerini.cy says Dubai normally welcomes around 19.5 million visitors each year and is now looking to encourage overseas travel through its multicultural population, representing nearly 200 nationalities.
How Residents Get Rewards
Under the scheme, residents must register their guests online before they arrive in the United Arab Emirates, and each resident can receive a maximum of three reward packages.
“Residents who nominate friends and family members to come to Dubai before 31 October can get offers such as 45% off hotel stays and free tickets to theme parks”
Khaleej Times says residents can nominate visiting relatives or friends free of charge and receive a discount package that includes hotel stays, dining offers and attraction experiences once the visitor arrives in Dubai and their visit is verified.
Khaleej Times also specifies that the campaign will run until October 31, with eligible residents able to nominate up to five visitors arriving in Dubai during the period, and that the rewards can be used until December 31, 2026, unless individual offers specify different validity periods.
Euronews describes the discounts as including “45% off hotel stays” and free tickets to theme parks such as Aquaventure and IMG Worlds of Adventure, tied to residents who invite someone to come and visit them.
Euronews quotes a Dubai media office post on X saying, “The Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism launches 'A Dubai Invite', inviting residents to become ambassadors of the city by welcoming their loved ones to Dubai,” as the emirate tries to convert personal recommendations into bookings.
