Topline
The city of Dubai is making dramatic—and expensive—efforts to recoup the once record-breaking tourist numbers that have plummeted since the start of the Iran war by offering travel perks worth upwards of $800 to visitors who enter the country between now and the end of October.
Key Facts
The new program, called “A Dubai Invite,” allows residents of the United Arab Emirates to nominate friends and relatives to visit and receive benefits worth more than AED 3,000 (about $800).
Visit Dubai’s website says nominees will receive a “benefits package” that may include hotel stays, dining deals or attraction tickets, and guests who arrive between July 20 and Oct. 31, 2026 are eligible for the perks.
The creative program is Dubai’s latest attempt to revive tourism since the start of the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran in February, which has cut the number of airlines operating at Dubai airports in half and saw global travelers deliberately avoid routes through the Middle East.
Dubai this year has also introduced a new five-year, multiple-entry tourist visa to encourage frequent and repeat travel, collaborated with Emirates airline to offer complimentary stays at luxury hotels and eased financial regulations to make it easier for extended visitors to open local UAE bank accounts.
The push to bring more foreigners to the city comes after Dubai hit a record-breaking number of visitors last year (and in 2023 and 2024).
BIG NUMBER
19.5 million. That’s how many international overnight tourists visited Dubai last year to mark the third straight year of record-breaking tourism performance. Average hotel occupancy reached 80.7% (on par with New York City’s 84.1%) and Dubai closed the year with more than 2 million international visitors in a single month for the first time in December.
Key background
Early in the conflict, Iranian missile and drone attacks near Dubai saw debris fall across parts of the city, including major residential areas, hotels and the airport. Images of fragments striking the Fairmont hotel on the upscale Palm Island were circulated widely online, and more than a dozen people have been killed in Dubai. Airlines suspended or rerouted thousands of flights, countries repeatedly closed their airspace and governments issued tougher travel advisories, making the Middle East riskier to reach. The conflict has also dented tourism and local businesses are taking the hit. One Dubai restaurant group told the BBC revenues have fallen more than 50% and some eateries that depend heavily on tourists have seen declines of 70% to 80%. One senior executive at a restaurant chain in Dubai told the outlet foot traffic has dropped to 15% to 20% of normal and more than half of the chain’s staff has been placed on unpaid leave. Some of Dubai’s most famous hotels have closed entirely and moved up renovation and refurbishment plans, including the sail-shaped Burj Al Arab which will close for 18 months for a major restoration. The number of international visitors to Jordan has fallen about 30%, tourism in Lebanon has effectively collapsed with industry groups reporting an 80% decline in visitor numbers and the broader Middle East recorded a 14% drop in international tourist arrivals during the first quarter of 2026.
