More than 35 holiday home operators and more than 550 units approved to date
Holiday homes market playing an important role in realising Dubai's Tourism Vision for 2020
Dubai - Since His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, issued Decree No.41 in December 2013 introducing a law governing holiday homes in Dubai, the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism) has seen holiday homes become an increasingly significant component of Dubai's tourism industry. As of the start of July 2015, a total of 37 operators are now licensed to rent out holiday homes in Dubai, with close to 800 units registered in the holiday homes system.
As a result of the decree, visitors booking their accommodation through licensed operators can be confident that the accommodation they have chosen has been classified in line with global best practices. They can also rest assured that the property they are booking is of a certain quality, has the appropriate insurances and is managed by a qualified party.
With the ultimate goal of contributing to the growth of Dubai's tourism industry by broadening the range of accommodations available to visitors, the holiday homes market plays an important role in realising the emirate's Tourism Vision for 2020, which aims to welcome 20 million visitors per year by the start of the next decade. Holiday homes also benefit Dubai's real estate market by providing a potential revenue stream for property owners wishing to rent out on a short term basis. By being part of Dubai's wider Hotel Classification Scheme, home owners can expect to profit from the targeted growth in visitor numbers over the coming years.
Khaled Bin Touq, Executive Director, Licensing & Classification Sector at Dubai Tourism, commented: "We have made great progress in setting up regulations for holiday homes. These are designed to benefit both home owners and guests, by ensuring the holiday homes market is aligned with the rest of Dubai's tourism industry and maintains the high standards for which the emirate is known. Visitors can choose from a wide range of holiday homes throughout the city, knowing that the property and operator are fully licensed and will meet all of their requirements. We therefore urge all operators and owners renting out holiday homes to ensure their properties are licensed through Dubai Tourism in order to benefit from being part of Dubai's tourism framework and from the city's increasing number of visitors."
Dubai Tourism is responsible for regulating the holiday homes market with the objective of bringing the segment in line with the regulation of Dubai's hotel sector. The government department defines the standards that must be met and procedures to be followed in order to receive a holiday homes licence. It also approves or denies licence applications, conducts property inspections to ensure they meet the required standards, and creates a database of all licensed establishments in the emirate.
-Ends-
To ensure all holiday home operators and home owners adhere to market regulations, a list of related violations, fines and fees has been made public. Dubai Tourism is tasked with identifying and implementing these regulations. Full details of all regulations, fines and fees, can be viewed on Dubai Tourism's website: www.visitdubai.com/en/department-of-tourism_new/about-dtcm/legislation/documents-circulars-and-bylaws.
© Press Release 2015
