Hotels and hotel apartments in Abu Dhabi will be expected to build Emirati culture into the guest experience from early 2027, according to Gulf News. In a report last updated on 25 September 2026, it said the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT) has launched the Emirati Hospitality Standards. The report says the standards cover 65 measurable requirements across eight stages of a stay, from before arrival to departure.
We have not found the standards on DCT’s own site. Its circulars page, read on 27 September, lists circulars up to No. 8/2026 and none on this subject; its news listing and a search of WAM also turned up nothing. The details below are therefore per Gulf News.
What hotels must do
Per Gulf News, hotels must meet at least 20 of the standards: 10 mandatory ones plus 10 of their own choice. Hotel apartments follow a lighter version: five mandatory and five chosen.
Gulf News lists five of the mandatory requirements:
- An explanation of UAE history and culture on the hotel’s website, or a link to one.
- Information sent to guests before arrival on ways to experience the country’s culture, heritage and natural environment.
- At least one reception staff member in Emirati national dress.
- Guest-facing staff, including restaurant staff, trained to introduce and explain at least three traditional Emirati dishes.
- At least one Emirati heritage design element in a public area guests regularly use.
Gulf News also gives further examples: a welcome with Arabic coffee and locally sourced dates, and introducing guests to dishes such as harees and balaleet. The report frames the coffee welcome as an example and the dishes as encouraged; neither is among the mandatory requirements it lists.
When it applies
Full implementation is due in the first quarter of 2027, per Gulf News. Gulf News reports that DCT also plans an Emirati Hospitality label with three levels of distinction, for properties that go beyond the minimum.
What it means for a stay
Per Gulf News, the standards cover hotels and hotel apartments across the emirate, which takes in the chain hotels UAE residents book with points for a staycation. What changes is what you should expect during a stay from 2027.
We will update this story if DCT publishes the standards themselves.
Sources
- Gulf News, What Abu Dhabi hotels will soon have to offer every guest, Huda Ata, last updated 25 September 2026.
- DCT Abu Dhabi, circulars, read 27 September 2026: no circular on the standards listed.
