The key facts

  • Dubai Access Club loyalty programme launched for repeat tourists — by invitation, privileges not disclosed
  • Applications for single- and multiple-entry tourist visas are being integrated into the Visit Dubai website
  • The tourism sector is recovering after a downturn caused by the war with Iran: 869,000 guests in August, hotel occupancy at 66%

A programme for repeat visitors and visas via Visit Dubai

Dubai launched a tourist loyalty programme on Sunday that is being called the world's first in this field. The initiative was presented by the Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister of the UAE, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed. It is aimed at cementing the emirate's status as a leading destination for leisure and business and forms part of the plan to place Dubai among the world's top three tourist destinations, reports The National.

How it will work

The key element is Dubai Access Club, a programme for repeat visitors: invited members will receive exclusive experiences, services and privileges, but exactly which ones the authorities have not yet disclosed. In parallel, as part of the Shared Digital Channels Initiative developed by the Dubai General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA Dubai), the Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) and Digital Dubai, more government services are being integrated into the official tourism website Visit Dubai, including applications for single-entry and multiple-entry tourist visas; other visa categories are promised to be added in the future. The assessment of applications and visa issuance will still be handled by GDRFA Dubai, and additional details of the services are promised to be announced later. The changes are being introduced this month.

Context: recovery after a downturn

The plan is another step by Dubai to accelerate tourism growth amid difficulties caused by the war with Iran. According to government data published in September, the number of international overnight guests in August reached 869,000 — the highest since February. Hotel occupancy in August stood at 66% compared with 36% in March, the first full month of the war. In the first eight months of the year the emirate received 6.97 million foreign tourists; in 2025 the figure was 19.59 million, and before the conflict it was expected that the target of 20 million guests would be met this year.

What this means in practice

For travellers, the changes are so far of a framework nature: the specific privileges of Dubai Access Club have not been named, and visa services on Visit Dubai are being rolled out in stages — the application review process itself is not changing, only the submission channel. The stated goal of the initiative, according to Sheikh Hamdan, is to make the city 'the preferred choice for travellers from around the world and a global benchmark for quality and convenience', while tourism is seen as a key element of the economy under the D33 economic agenda.