Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing, Dubai Tourism, announced an administrative order clarifying the law of Decree No. 41, introduced in 2013 to govern holiday home activities in Dubai, to outline regulations for operators, homeowners and authorised tenants, who wish to obtain a holiday home licence.

It has been established 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 licence can be obtained and should be maintained, and the rights and liabilities of developers, operators and homeowners.

Khalid Bin Touq, Executive Director, Tourism Activities and Classification Sector, Dubai Tourism, said, “Dubai’s holiday homes market has witnessed continuous growth over the past few years, driven by the increasing demand for a wide range of accommodation options from the emirate’s diverse traveller segments. 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, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai.”

He added, “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 that global best practices are adopted to increase the competitiveness, transparency, safety and standardisation of the sector.”

Since the commencement of the operation of holiday homes in 2015, the sector witnessed on average a 42 percent 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 a further increase in the number of property owners moving into the holiday homes business.