Dubai’s new contactless hotel check-in: What changes, who benefits, why it's big

Dubai: Dubai has introduced a citywide contactless hotel check-in system that lets guests complete registration before they arrive. You upload your ID, add a biometric scan, and confirm your details on your phone. Once registered, your information remains valid until your ID expires. Future stays require only a quick facial scan.

All licensed hotels and holiday homes can now integrate the system through their existing apps or websites. It’s a unified, government-backed process — not a chain-specific initiative — rolled out under the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism’s digital agenda.

You skip the reception desk. You arrive and go straight to your room. With nearly a quarter of Dubai’s guests returning each year, many travellers will only need to register once.

Hotels reduce front-desk congestion, cut paperwork, and streamline peak arrival times. Because the system works on existing platforms, integration is simple and consistent across the market.

Digital, contactless services have been gaining momentum globally. According to a 2025 report from hospitality-tech company Alliants, more than 70% of hotels worldwide are expected to adopt mobile or contactless check-in systems.

Similar data from culinary and hospitality education institution Escoffier, 62% of hotels are moving toward fully contactless guest experiences — from digital check-ins to in-app service requests.

A new survey from Switch Hotel Solutions revealed that biometric check-ins improve both speed and security, with strong impacts on guest satisfaction.

Analysts at Hospitality Insights add that contactless tools — from room access to payments — are now reshaping guest expectations and hotel operations across the industry. Forecasts from data-analytics firm Dataintelo estimate the global biometric hotel check-in market at around $1.87 billion in 2025, signalling steady and widespread demand.

These findings all point to the same trend: contactless check-ins are no longer niche. They are becoming standard practice in hospitality. But globally, adoption remains fragmented. Hotels choose their own systems, chains roll out their own apps, and regulations differ between countries. What exists today is a patchwork — not a unified, citywide model.

Other regions offer elements of contactless check-in, but not this level of coordination.

In the US, chains like Hilton or Marriott offer mobile check-in, but ID checks widely still happen in person, even though independent hotels vary widely. Across Europe and the UK, mobile check-ins exist, but manual passport scans remain common.

Singapore enables digital identity tools like SingPass, yet participation depends on individual hotels. In Japan, South Korea, China and Australia, self-service kiosks and app-based keys exist, but foreign guests usually still verify documents at the desk.

Dubai is the first major destination to make the experience universal and standardised across its entire hotel ecosystem.

Dubai is closing the gap between global ambition and practical execution. Instead of scattered hotel-by-hotel upgrades, the city has introduced one standardised system that every licensed hotel can use. That brings benefits few markets can match:

Dubai’s airports have already embraced biometrics for passport control, boarding and security checks. Retailers widely use tap-to-pay systems. Travellers and residents are accustomed to digital services. This creates a foundation where a citywide hotel check-in rollout feels natural — not abrupt.

Dubai International Airport’s Smart Gates can clear eligible passengers in seconds using facial recognition. Smart Tunnel technology reduces manual verification further by allowing travellers to walk through without presenting physical documents. The emirate is also building out next-generation systems at the new Al Maktoum International Airport, where automated check-in, bag-drop and immigration processes are planned from day one.

Adoption of mobile wallets and contactless payments across the UAE has also surged in recent years, making digital-first interactions routine for most residents. Together, these shifts show that Dubai’s tourism and transport systems were already moving toward automation, making hotels the next logical step in the city’s broader digital strategy.

For travellers, the change means shorter journeys from airport to room. For hotels, smoother operations. For the city, a competitive advantage in efficiency and guest experience at scale.

For the global hospitality sector, Dubai sets a benchmark for what a coordinated, citywide contactless system can look like — a model that closes the gap between industry trends and real-world rollout.