The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) and the popular international vacation rental platform Airbnb have signed a Memorandum of understanding (MoU) to boost high-quality accommodation options for visitors looking for alternatives to traditional hotels in the region.
Under the MoU, the two organizations will collaborate to promote the holiday home sector in the UAE capital. It follows DCT Abu Dhabi’s request earlier this year for holiday homeowners to register on its new online licensing system to help regulate and enhance this growing market within the tourism sector.
Airbnb will provide DCT Abu Dhabi with access to its City Portal, which will share important data and insights on the Airbnb platform about rental activities taking place in Abu Dhabi. Airbnb will also launch a dedicated responsible hosting page on the platform, helping new and existing hosts in the emirate with understanding and following local rules for holiday homes.
HE Saood Abdulaziz Al Hosani Undersecretary – DCT Abu Dhabi
“The signing of this agreement with Airbnb demonstrates our commitment to expanding accommodation options available in Abu Dhabi that will enhance the emirate as a premier tourism destination in the region. In partnering with the world-leading home rental platform, we are ensuring tourists and residents in Abu Dhabi are provided with more choices for safe and secure short-term accommodation. This cooperation will help us meet the rising demand for high-quality alternatives to established hotels and hotel apartments across Abu Dhabi.”
As a regulator of holiday homes in the emirate, DCT Abu Dhabi will use this kind of strategic agreement to enable leading holiday home rental platforms to offer short-term rentals responsibly and to help diversify the growing tourism and hospitality sectors.
Ms. Velma Corcoran, Regional Lead Middle East Africa at Airbnb, said that “We are delighted to be partnering with the DCT Abu Dhabi to help encourage responsible hosting and to boost tourism in the emirate. This partnership will contribute to helping grow and diversify tourism, increase consumer choice and attract new guests to this exciting destination. We look forward to working together with DCT Abu Dhabi, and to the many opportunities this partnership creates for travelers in the future.”
