What's changing in the UAE this May and what it means for you

Dubai: May is set to be a significant month for the UAE, with a packed lineup of updates affecting daily life. Popular attractions are closing for the summer, new banking rules are kicking in, and a long weekend is on the horizon. Here's everything residents and businesses should know.

Global Village has pushed its closing date to May 31, giving residents more time to visit before it shuts for summer. Since reopening on April 20, the park offers shopping, 250 dining options, and live performances.

Visitors can enjoy unlimited rides for Dh99 with the Carnaval pass, or take advantage of the Family Offer, four entry tickets for Dh30, with extra tickets at Dh7.5 each.

The park is open 5pm–1am on Fridays and Saturdays, and 5PM–midnight Sunday to Thursday.

Dubai Miracle Garden is wrapping up Season 14 with special offers throughout May before closing for the summer.

UAE families can enjoy free weekday entry (Monday–Friday) from May 1–31 via Gate 3 only, between 9AM and 6PM. Additionally, UAE residents get discounted entry at Dh30 (VAT inclusive) with a valid Emirates ID, and children 12 and under always enter fre

From May, the UAE will introduce an artificial intelligence and robotics-based system to assess work permit applicants.

The initiative, led by the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship in partnership with the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation, aims to improve labour market efficiency and attract skilled professionals.

Applicants will be evaluated using data-driven criteria, including qualifications, experience, skills and knowledge. The system is designed to better match workers with market needs and enhance overall workforce quality.

Dubai's RTA and Dubai Police launched a Personal Mobility Monitoring Unit on May 1 to regulate bicycles and electric scooters across the emirate. The unit patrols cycling tracks, major roads, and soft mobility zones.

Its goal is to improve road safety by cracking down on violations like riding outside designated tracks, speeding, not wearing helmets, reckless driving, and carrying passengers on scooters. Offenders can be fined, and non-compliant vehicles may be impounded.

Travellers flying through Dubai will see clearer rights and a new complaints process following a directive introduced by the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority.

The Aviation Consumer Welfare Directive sets out the responsibilities of airlines, travel agents and passengers, and introduces a formal system for handling disputes.

Passengers can now file complaints directly with the authority, track their cases online and submit feedback on services. The system is intended to make complaint handling more transparent and accessible.

From May, all licensed financial institutions in the UAE, including banks, insurers, exchange houses, and finance companies, are no longer permitted to contact customers through instant messaging platforms such as WhatsApp.

The Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE) issued a circular outlining the change, citing concerns around customer protection and data security. The move is intended to safeguard consumers and uphold the reputation of the UAE's financial sector. Institutions were required to confirm their compliance by April 30.

UAE travellers now have more options to Qatar, as flights to and from Hamad International Airport gradually resume. flydubai and Air Arabia are among the carriers that have already restarted services to Doha, using a dedicated air corridor set up by the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority.

Emirates has resume Kuwait flights since May 1, following the reopening of Kuwaiti airspace. The airline will start with two daily flights between Dubai and Kuwait International Airport, departing at 7:50am (EK855) and 2:55pm (EK857).

Services will then increase to four daily flights from May 16, using A350 and B777 aircraft, before a fifth daily flight is added from May 21, a gradual scale-up in line with improving regional conditions.

UAE residents have a significant public holiday to look forward to later in May. Eid Al Adha, one of the most important occasions in the Islamic calendar, is expected to begin on Wednesday, May 27, based on astronomical calculations by the Emirates Astronomical Society.

The day before, Tuesday, May 26, marks the Day of Arafah, the holiest day of the Hajj pilgrimage. As with all Islamic holidays, official dates are subject to confirmation following the moon sighting.

The UAE Cabinet has approved three official public holiday days from Wednesday, May 27 to Friday, May 29. Combined with the following weekend, residents can expect a continuous six-day break — the longest of the year so far 

This article was published on April 30, 2026 and has been updated since.