Dubai, whose economy has been severely hit by the Iran war, is offering residents incentive packages worth the equivalent of €700 ($796) if they bring visitors to the city.
According to Dubai’s tourism website, each resident can receive benefits such as discounted hotel stays, restaurant meals and tickets to attractions under the new programme. Each resident may claim up to three of these “benefit packages” for visitors travelling to Dubai from now until the end of October.
Visitors – such as friends or relatives – must not be residents of the United Arab Emirates and must enter the country on a tourist visa. Local reports say more than 10,000 applications were submitted in the first 48 hours of the programme.
Dubai and Abu Dhabi hard hit by Iran war
Dubai is one of the most modern cities in the Arab world, known for its glass skyscrapers – including the tallest building in the world – luxury hotels on sandy beaches and entertainment. Nearly 20 million foreign tourists visited the city last year, a record.
The Iran war, which began at the end of February with attacks by the United States and Israel, hit Dubai and the Emirati capital Abu Dhabi hard.
Iranian strikes targeted Emirati oil facilities, as well as Dubai airport and some civilian areas including hotels. Revenues collapsed and the number of airlines operating in Dubai halved. The city is working to limit the damage and preserve its image as a destination for business and entertainment.