What Is "A Dubai Invite"?
Launched by Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), A Dubai Invite is a city-ambassador style campaign that turns residents into Dubai’s most powerful marketing channel: word of mouth. The idea is simple. If you live in Dubai and you invite someone from abroad to visit, you get rewarded for it.
Eligible residents can nominate friends or relatives living overseas, and once those guests land in Dubai, the resident who invited them unlocks a rewards package worth more than Dh3,000. That package isn’t cash — it’s a curated bundle of hotel stays, dining experiences, attraction tickets, and lifestyle perks from participating partners, including names like W Dubai Mina Seyahi, The Westin Dubai Mina Seyahi, Le Méridien Mina Seyahi Beach Resort & Waterpark, Meliá Desert Palm, IHG Hotels & Resorts, Careem, and Hala.
Who Can Take Part?
How It Works
Why the Overwhelming Response?
Speaking on Dubai Eye’s Business Breakfast, Noor Algeziry, Associate Vice President for MENA and Special Projects at DET, said the response had far exceeded expectations. DET had originally set a cap on the number of reward packages available, but the flood of over 10,000 applications in just two days has pushed the department to reconsider that limit. Algeziry noted that while this particular campaign wraps up on October 31, DET is already exploring the idea of running similar initiatives again in the future.
Part of the appeal is timing. The initiative runs alongside Dubai Summer Surprises 2026, which brings discounts of up to 90%, Dh10 meal deals, concerts, and family entertainment through August 30 — giving invited guests even more reasons to book their trip now.
The Bigger Picture
Dubai welcomed 19.59 million international overnight visitors in 2025, a 5% increase over the previous year, with both December 2025 and January 2026 crossing the two-million-visitor mark. Rather than relying purely on international advertising, A Dubai Invite taps into something advertising can’t buy: the personal networks of a city that’s home to more than 200 nationalities. Every resident effectively becomes a local tourism ambassador, turning family reunions and friend visits into a growth engine for the emirate’s hospitality and attractions sector.
Should You Sign Up?
If you’re a Dubai resident with friends or family who’ve been putting off a visit, this is about as good a nudge as you’ll get — a genuine excuse to host them, paired with real perks for hotels, dining, and attractions once they land. Given the pace of applications, it may be worth registering sooner rather than later, especially with DET reviewing the reward cap in real time.
Note:
The programme does not cover visa arrangements — visitors remain responsible for securing their own visas ahead of travel.
