Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism) has announced an administrative order clarifying the law of Decree No. 41, introduced in 2013 to govern holiday home activity in Dubai.
The order outlines regulations for operators, homeowners and authorised tenants, who wish to obtain a holiday home license, and has been produced in collaboration with the Supreme Legislation Committee to further diversify tourism in the emirate and boost competition through safe and transparent operations.
The technical requirements, guidelines and processes will be mapped out in a detailed guide issued by Dubai Tourism, which will also provide an overview of the operations of a holiday home, how a license can be obtained and should be maintained, and the rights and liabilities of developers, operators and homeowners.
“Dubai’s holiday homes market has witnessed continuous growth over the past few years, driven by increasing demand for a wide range of accommodation options from the emirate’s diverse traveller segments,” says Khalid Bin Touq, executive director, Tourism Activities and Classification Sector, Dubai Tourism.
“Recognising this growing popularity for the Holiday Homes concept, Dubai Tourism is committed to enhancing the product offering, fuelling increased visitation, and making Dubai the world’s preferred destination in line with Dubai’s Tourism Vision 2022-25, as envisioned by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.”
“As such, this new administrative resolution will reassure the industry that we are taking steps to regulate the operation of Holiday Homes, providing a comprehensive classification and verification process and ensuring global best practices are adopted to increase competitiveness, transparency, safety and standardisation of the sector,” he adds.
“We remain in continuous contact with the industry to ensure the processes and requirements are clear, and as the official governing entity for the Holiday Home sector, we encourage all operators and developers to share their challenges and disputes with us to strengthen our collective efforts in showcasing the city’s multi-dimensional accommodation portfolio.”
Since the commencement of holiday homes operations in 2015, the sector has witnessed on average a 42 per cent yearly growth, with rented housing units growing from 4,738 units in 2018 to 7,005 units in 2019. With Expo 2020 set to attract a record number of visitors, Dubai Tourism anticipates further increases in the number of property owners moving into the holiday homes business.
