São Paulo – The ruler of Dubai, sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, announced last Monday (3rd) the introduction of the “Tourism Dirham,” a tax to be levied on all types of lodging in the emirate, aiming to fund tourism promotion of the city. The information was released by the Emirates News Agency (Wam).
The charge will be applied to hotels, apartments and holiday homes. The goal is raising funds for tourism-related international promotion and marketing actions.
The charge will become effective as of March 31st, and will range from seven dirhams (US$ 1.91) to 20 dirhams (5.44), per room, per night. The price will be dependent on the type of lodging at hand.
According to Wam, the charge will help strengthen Dubai’s position as a leading tourist destination, bringing Dubai in line with international industry standards.
"The introduction of the Tourism Dirham will support Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing, helping to ensure our continued competitiveness on the global stage, which will be reflected positively on the growth of two of our economic pillars — trade and tourism,” said Helal Saeed Almarri, chairman of the Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM), according to Wam.
The establishment of the Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing was announced on January 26th. The new corporation is affiliated with the DTCM and will focus on international promotion and marketing of the emirate.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
