Abu Dhabi launches Emirati hospitality standards for hotels

Abu Dhabi has launched new “Emirati Hospitality Standards” for hotels and hotel apartments across the emirate, with full implementation to begin in the first quarter of 2027 as part of efforts to embed Emirati culture and traditions throughout the visitor experience.

The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) said the framework comprises 65 standards covering eight stages of the guest journey, seeking to ensure that visitors experience distinctive elements of Emirati hospitality during their stay.

The standards include offering guests traditional Emirati coffee and dates, serving traditional dishes made with locally sourced ingredients and incorporating aspects of UAE heritage and history into the hotel experience.

They also include mandatory requirements for hotels, including training reception and guest-service employees on the UAE’s heritage, culture and history.

The initiative aims to strengthen the UAE’s national identity within Abu Dhabi’s hospitality sector and is aligned with the UAE National Identity Strategy, according to DCT Abu Dhabi.

The standards were developed in collaboration with the National Projects Office and with support from the National Identity Committee of the Federal National Council for Empowerment of Emirati Human Resources and Society.

The initiative is also designed to support the objectives of Abu Dhabi’s Tourism Strategy 2030 by giving visitors a more distinctive experience rooted in the emirate’s culture and traditions.

The strategy seeks to strengthen Abu Dhabi’s position as a leading global tourism destination while ensuring that the emirate’s rapid tourism growth remains closely connected to its cultural identity and heritage.