Dubai offers £600 rewards to residents who lure friends there as tourists
The website of the scheme, part of the department of economy and tourism, says residents will win a “benefits package” with perks ranging from hotel stays to attraction tickets
Dubai is offering residents £600 rewards to persuade family and friends to visit the region as tourists.
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Under the Dubai Invite scheme, residents of the United Arab Emirates who successfully lure friends and family to visit can receive rewards worth more than 3,000 UAE (approximately £610)
The website of the scheme, part of the department of economy and tourism, says residents will win a “benefits package” with perks ranging from hotel stays to attraction tickets.
Residents can claim three benefit packages for visitors arriving before 31 October, which can be redeemed until December.
Tourists must not be UAE residents, must have a valid tourist visa and can only be nominated under the scheme once.
Read more: Dubai Airport trials AI border checks that clear passengers in 3.4 seconds
According to local media, the programme received more than 100,000 applications in its first 48 hours.
It comes as the US-Iran war has had a huge impact on tourist numbers to Dubai.
The emirate welcomed nearly 20 million tourists - a record - in 2025, but since the conflict many airlines have stopped operating at Dubai airports, while tourists have avoided the region due to the war.
Hotels have been left empty, while some businesses have reportedly suffered a 50% loss of revenue and have been forced to cut salaries or lay off staff.
In February, Dubai was drawn in to the Middle East conflict with missiles and drones raining on its airport and the internationally famous Fairmont hotel on the upscale Palm Island.
Authorities state that 2,400 missiles and drones have been launched at the UAE during the current conflict.
More than 90 per cent of those were intercepted or destroyed.
So far, 11 people have been killed and 185 injured across the UAE, according to authorities.