Dubai has launched “A Dubai Invite” — a city-wide programme that pays residents in rewards worth more than AED 3,000 for bringing overseas family and friends to visit. Announced by Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), the initiative runs from 20 July to 31 October 2026 and turns every resident into a paid ambassador for the city. If you live in Dubai — or you are buying a home here and about to become a resident — this is one of the simplest perks of the year, and here is exactly how it works.
What “A Dubai Invite” actually is
It is a resident-rewards scheme built to boost tourism. When a Dubai resident invites someone who lives abroad, and that guest actually travels to Dubai on a tourist or visit visa during the campaign window, the resident unlocks a benefits package worth more than AED 3,000 — hotel discounts, dining offers and attraction tickets. The reward goes to you, the host, not the visitor. Think of it as Dubai saying thank you for filling its hotels and restaurants with your guests.
The rewards — real numbers, not vouchers-in-theory
The package is a curated set of offers redeemable across Dubai’s hospitality and leisure scene. Examples reported at launch include:
- Meliá Desert Palm — 45% off, plus AED 100 in spa and food credit.
- ME Dubai by Meliá — 35% off rooms, complimentary upgrades, and 35% off restaurant and spa.
- Marriott Mina Seyahi properties — a full room credit redeemable at restaurants and spas.
- IHG hotels — a free third night, plus up to 30% off dining.
On top of the stays sit dining deals and attraction experiences across the city. The headline figure of “AED 3,000+” is the floor of the combined value, not a single coupon.
How to claim it, step by step
- Nominate your guests at the official form on visitdubai.com/en/invite/nomination, entering their details and expected arrival dates. You can submit up to five nominations at a time, and nominate more people over the course of the campaign.
- Your guests visit Dubai on a tourist or visit visa during the 20 July – 31 October 2026 window.
- DET verifies the arrival automatically through government systems — there is nothing for you to prove manually.
- You receive your rewards by email, with redemption instructions, once the visit is confirmed.
Two dates to diarise: register your nominations by 30 September 2026, and use your benefits by 31 December 2026 unless a specific offer says otherwise.
Who is eligible
You must be a UAE national or resident, aged 18 or over, with a valid Emirates ID. Each resident can earn a maximum of three reward packages under the programme. Your guests must be non-UAE residents arriving on a tourist or visit visa — existing UAE residents do not count.
Why this matters if you own — or are buying — a home in Dubai
The Emirates ID that unlocks “A Dubai Invite” is the same residency that property ownership can help you secure. A Dubai home worth AED 2 million or more can qualify you for the UAE Golden Residency, and residency is the gateway to resident-only perks like this one. For the growing number of Americans and other overseas buyers purchasing in Dubai, it is a small but telling illustration of a bigger point: Dubai actively rewards the people who make it their base. If you are weighing a move, our guide to the remote purchase process and the full Dubai-side playbook walk through how ownership and residency fit together.
The Cresco read
“A Dubai Invite” is a clever piece of city marketing — it converts residents into a distribution channel and rewards them for it, and it lands right as Dubai posts record tourism and real-estate numbers. For anyone already living here it is close to free money for something you would probably do anyway. For anyone thinking about buying in, it is one more line in a long ledger of reasons the city keeps pulling global capital and people toward it. Nominate early, before your guests book, so their arrival falls inside the window.
Frequently asked questions
Who can join “A Dubai Invite”?
Any UAE national or resident aged 18 or over with a valid Emirates ID. The people you invite must live outside the UAE and arrive on a tourist or visit visa.
How much is the reward worth?
More than AED 3,000 per package, made up of hotel discounts (up to around 45%), dining offers and attraction tickets. You can earn up to three packages.
How do I sign up?
Nominate your visitors through the official form at visitdubai.com/en/invite/nomination — up to five at a time — before 30 September 2026.
When does it end?
The campaign runs 20 July to 31 October 2026, and rewards can be used until 31 December 2026 unless an individual offer states otherwise.
Do my guests get the reward?
No. The reward package goes to you, the Dubai resident who invited them.
Sources. Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism, “A Dubai Invite” initiative (launched 20 July 2026); Khaleej Times and Gulf News reporting, July 2026; official nomination portal visitdubai.com/en/invite/nomination. Offer details are as reported at launch and are subject to the programme’s official terms; confirm current details on Visit Dubai before nominating.