Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism launched a resident-driven recruitment program on July 20, 2026, directing UAE residents to nominate international visitors as the emirate works to reverse a tourism collapse triggered by regional military conflict.
The program, called A Dubai Invite, runs through October 31, 2026, with benefits extending to December 31. Under the scheme, residents who nominate non-resident friends or family to visit on a valid tourist visa receive a package of travel benefits valued at more than 3,000 UAE dirham (approximately $800). Each resident may claim a maximum of three packages. Incentives include discounts at luxury hotels such as Meliá Desert Palm and ME Dubai, complimentary entry to Aquaventure World, reduced taxi fares, and two-for-one dining promotions across the city.
The policy response comes after a sustained military escalation. In late February 2026, Iran launched a missile and drone campaign against the United Arab Emirates. Authorities report that more than 2,400 projectiles have been directed at the country since then, with officials claiming more than 90 percent were intercepted. Strikes hit the Fairmont Hotel on Palm Island and Dubai’s major international airport, dealing direct blows to the emirate’s tourism infrastructure.
The damage has been severe. The number of airlines operating through Dubai has been cut in half as carriers rerouted around the emirate. Restaurant revenues fell by more than 50 percent, according to BBC reporting, while tourist retail shops recorded sales declines of 70 to 80 percent. Hotel occupancy dropped to historic lows, prompting some properties to close temporarily. The Burj Al Arab, for its part, accelerated a planned 18-month restoration project.
By contrast, the period immediately before the attacks had been one of sustained growth. Dubai welcomed 19.59 million visitors in 2025, a 5 percent increase from 2024, capping three consecutive years of record arrivals. January 2026 alone recorded two million arrivals, up 3 percent on the same month a year earlier.
A Dubai Invite represents the most substantial intervention the UAE government has undertaken to restore tourism confidence since the conflict began. Early uptake has been striking: Arabian Business reported more than 10,000 nominations submitted within the first 48 hours of launch, a volume high enough that authorities are now considering revising the cap on total benefit packages available.
The program’s design reflects a deliberate dual strategy. By mobilizing residents as active recruiters while simultaneously offering incentives to potential visitors, Dubai’s tourism authority has built a mechanism intended to work on both sides of the demand equation at once. Whether that mechanism can overcome the deterrent effect of ongoing regional uncertainty remains the central question facing the department as the October deadline approaches.