Walking into a hotel in Abu Dhabi will feel distinctly more Emirati next year.
A scheme launched by Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi will place Emirati culture at the heart of the guest experience when staying in the city.
Hotels will have to comply with measures including ensuring guests receive information about the culture and heritage of the UAE, having one employee dressed in Emirati attire to greet guests upon arrival, and at least three Emirati dishes available on the menu.
The National spoke to hoteliers in the emirate who have welcomed the move, saying it will enhance the tourist experience by allowing them to further embrace local culture. The new rules are expected to come into effect during the first quarter of 2027.
“It is a great idea for guests to embrace the heritage, culture and generosity of the UAE in hotels,” said Catalina Susan, general manager of Marriott Al Forsan, Abu Dhabi.
“Pre-arrival, we are going to send information to our customers about the history of the country and the culture.
“We are going to implement three specific Emirati dishes in our main restaurant. In the lobby, we are going to have one of our associates with Emirati attire … to welcome guests with the new welcome of 'Marhaba al-saa' instead of 'Assalamu aleikum'.”
The move by tourism chiefs in Abu Dhabi comes as the hospitality sector begins to show signs of recovery, following months of disruption caused by Iran's attacks on the UAE, which began at the end of February.
Under the new rules, hotels will have to apply 20 of the 65 Emirati Dhiyafa (Hospitality) Standards. Ten of these are compulsory, with the other 10 being left to the discretion of each property. For hotel apartments, there is a minimum of 10 standards, five of which are compulsory.
So far, only a limited number of standards have been made known to hotels in the emirate. These include:
- Hotel must provide website links to history and culture
- Pre-arrival messages must be sent to guests with information about the culture and heritage of the UAE
- There must be one employee in Emirati attire to welcome guests to the hotel
- Guests must be greeted with the phrase: “Marhaba al-saa”, which translates as “welcome at this hour of the day”
- The hotel must welcome guests with Arabic coffee and locally produced dates
- Three Emirati options must be available on the menu with staff able to explain the dishes to guests
- The public area of a hotel must include at least one design element inspired by Emirati heritage
'Building a deeper connection'
“A warm welcome, a thoughtful recommendation and a colleague who can explain a local tradition can become memorable parts of a stay,” Marwa Mustafa, hotel manager of Bloom Arjaan by Rotana told The National.
“The framework encourages hotels to bring that cultural understanding into the experiences guests encounter every day.”
Ms Mustafa hopes that both short-term and long-term guests will feel a “stronger sense of belonging” during their time in the city. A phased approach will mean the hotel will be prepared for the implementation deadline for the new standards.
“Priorities would include colleagues’ cultural knowledge, the arrival experience, information shared before and during a stay, and opportunities to introduce guests to Emirati cuisine and traditions. For our longer-stay guests, there is also an opportunity to help them build a deeper connection with the local community over time,” she said. “Consistency [across departments] would be a key operational consideration.”
The hospitality initiative is part of the Abu Dhabi Tourism Strategy 2030, a broader plan aimed at increasing visitor numbers to 39.3 million and simultaneously raising the hospitality sector's GDP contribution to Dh90 billion by 2030. It is set to create 178,000 jobs.
This is all planned to amplify Abu Dhabi as one of the fastest-growing destinations for international visitors.
“The experiences that visitors remember most are often the simplest: the warmth of a welcome, the sharing of local traditions, and the feeling of being genuinely looked after,” said Saleh Mohamed Al Geziry, director general for tourism at DCT Abu Dhabi.
“The Emirati Dhiyafa Standards translate these timeless values into a framework that will enrich every stage of the visitor journey by embedding our cultural identity within the hospitality experience.”
Occupancy optimism
Ms Susan said that occupancy at Marriott Al Forsan, Abu Dhabi was steady, even through the peak of the war, when more than 90 per cent of the rooms were occupied. She said she was seeing a shift from international guests to more domestic and regional visitors, as well as corporate bookings.
“Despite the geopolitical challenges … we managed to exceed the budget in revenue, in profit, in regards to guest satisfaction,” she said. “It's not like in the previous year when we had a lot of booking. This year it's slower.”
The hotel is managing to hold around 86 per cent occupancy and Ms Susan is optimistic that with F1 around the corner, international visitors will return.
