Dubai tourists to face extra fee from March 31

Visitors to Dubai will face an additional ‘tourism’ charge from March 31, which will be used to support the promotion of the emirate, official news agency reported.

Dubai’s crown prince and chairman of the Executive Council, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum has issued a new resolution regarding the introduction of the ‘Tourism Dirham.’

The new charge will vary between Dhs7 and Dhs 20 per room, per night, dependent on the hotel category and rating, and will be applicable from March 31, 2014.

It will be applied to guests staying in all genres and rating of holiday accommodation including hotels, hotel apartments, guesthouses and holiday homes, said WAM.

Such tourism fees are charged in several tourist destinations around the world and the funds raised will be used to support the international promotion and marketing of Dubai, the report added.

Helal Saeed Almarri, director general of Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM), said: “The introduction of the Tourism Dirham will support Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing, helping to ensure our continued competitiveness on the global stage which will be reflected positively on the growth of two of our economic pillars – trade and tourism.”

The Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DCTCM) was a new entity launched by the emirate last month to focus on the international promotion and marketing of Dubai. The new body is an affiliate of the DTCM and will primarily market the ‘Dubai brand’.

Dubai, which welcomed over 10 million tourists in 2013, has an ambitious plan to attract 20 million visitors per year by 2020. Visitor numbers are also expected to be substantially higher during the six-month long Expo, which will be held in Dubai in 2020.