Dubai: Campers pitching a tent for an overnight stay in the Dubai desert will now incur a municipal fee for the necessary permits.

According to an administrative order that was issued on Monday by Dubai Municipality, people wishing to camp in the desert have to first obtain permission from the authority.

Gulf News was told by municipal officials on Monday that further details on the new regulation will be released in the forthcoming days, “as some other things regarding the director general’s order,” remain to be finalised.

The rule was made in line with the municipality’s aim to maintain the environment and cleanliness of the desert, and runs under the slogan, “Leave the place clean for others to enjoy it.”

The validity of the permit will be for six months that does not exceed the month of April every year, and the area of land authorised to campers should not exceed 300 square metres. The duration and other requirements must be adhered to in line with the requirements of environment, health, planning and construction set forth in the municipal legislation.

The fee for the permit is 22 fils per square metre.

The decision stipulates that Dubai Municipality will be applying provisions regulating the temporary use of desert land as provided in the Local Order No. 2 of 1999, and the administrative decision No. 310 of 2008, referred to the camps set up by a third party for the purposes of entertainment.

Camping in the emirate is growing in popularity according to campers that Gulf News spoke with. And for campers who generally tend to camp in more remote regions of the UAE, not in Dubai, the new fees will not affect them.

The most popular camping haunts, for example, are found in Liwa, Shwaib, Wadi Sana and Musandam.

Emirates camper Nozomi Okuyama, said earlier, “nothing beats stargazing from the top of a dune for putting everyday worries into perspective, and Shwaib’s proximity to Dubai makes it a no stress one-nighter, where [provided no one gets stuck] you can easily set off after lunch and be fully set up in camp with a cold drink by mid afternoon.”

Another camper said Wadi Bih remained his favourite hideaway, given its mountainous terrain, remoteness and cooler temperatures.