Dubai Throws Hotels a Lifeline as Iran War Devastates Tourism

In response to a sharp decline in tourism since the outbreak of the Iran war, Dubai has announced specific support for hotels and tourism operators from a wider fund of AED 1 billion ($272 million).

“The initiative is aimed at easing financial pressures on businesses and individuals across multiple sectors,” Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai’s Crown Prince, said on March 30. “It will be rolled out over three to six months starting April 1, 2026.”

The government’s measures for the hospitality and tourism industry include “deferring government fees for three months and allowing hotels to postpone 100% of sales fees and the tourism dirham fee”, according to state news