The new framework covers eight stages of the guest journey, from pre-arrival and check-in to the stay experience and departure.
Hotels and hotel apartments across Abu Dhabi will soon be expected to bring more Emirati culture and traditions into the everyday guest experience under a new hospitality framework scheduled for implementation in the first quarter of 2027.
The Department of Culture and Tourism, Abu Dhabi, has launched the Emirati Hospitality Standards, a framework containing 65 measurable requirements covering eight stages of the visitor journey. These range from communication before arrival and check-in to the stay experience and departure.
The initiative aims to create a more consistent approach to Emirati hospitality across the emirate’s accommodation sector while incorporating values such as generosity, respect, welcome, and attentiveness into hotel operations.
From Pre-Arrival to Departure
The framework is designed to influence how hotels interact with guests throughout their stay rather than limiting cultural experiences to restaurants or occasional activities.
Hotels will be expected to provide information about UAE history and culture on their websites and communicate with guests before arrival about opportunities to experience the country’s heritage, culture and natural environment.
The approach draws on the Emirati concept of “Al Sanaa”, which encompasses customs and social etiquette associated with hospitality, courtesy and appropriate conduct. Its principles include generosity, welcoming guests, respect, appreciation and tolerance.
Arabic Coffee, Dates and Emirati Cuisine
Some of the standards will be visible to guests from the moment they arrive.
Hotels could welcome visitors with Arabic coffee and locally sourced traditional Emirati dates, while properties will also be encouraged to introduce guests to local dishes such as harees and balaleet.
Guest-facing employees, including restaurant staff, will receive cultural training that enables them to explain at least three traditional Emirati dishes and their significance within the country’s culinary traditions.
The objective is to make local food and customs part of the hotel experience rather than treating them as separate cultural attractions.
National Dress and Emirati Design
The framework also includes requirements covering how Emirati identity is represented within hotel properties.
At least one member of reception staff will be required to wear Emirati national dress.
Hotels must also incorporate at least one design element inspired by Emirati heritage into a public area regularly used by guests.
These measures are intended to give visitors direct exposure to aspects of local culture through ordinary interactions within their accommodation.
Hotels Can Choose Part of the Framework
The standards are not designed to create an identical experience across every property.
Hotels will need to implement at least 20 standards, comprising 10 mandatory requirements and another 10 selected by the individual property.
Hotel apartments will follow a simplified framework requiring five mandatory standards and five additional standards selected by the property.
This structure allows establishments to adapt the cultural experience to their type, size and operating model while maintaining a common baseline across the sector.
Training Will Support the Rollout
Participating establishments will receive implementation guidance, specialised training in Emirati culture and an operating manual explaining how the standards should be incorporated into daily operations.
The framework was developed in cooperation with the National Projects Office, with support from the National Identity Committee of the Education, Human Development and Community Development Council.
The programme also supports the UAE’s wider National Identity Strategy by translating cultural and social values into experiences that visitors can encounter during their stay.
A New Label for Hotels
DCT Abu Dhabi also plans to introduce an Emirati Hospitality label for properties that go beyond the minimum requirements.
The label will have three levels of distinction, giving hotels and hotel apartments an additional incentive to introduce more extensive cultural experiences and practices.
The recognition system will sit alongside the core standards and is intended to encourage properties to develop their own approaches to Emirati hospitality rather than simply meeting the basic requirements.
Part of Abu Dhabi’s Tourism Strategy
The initiative forms part of Abu Dhabi’s Tourism Strategy 2030, which aims to expand the emirate’s tourism sector while strengthening its appeal as a destination.
The hospitality standards add a cultural dimension to that strategy by bringing elements of Emirati heritage into one of the most important points of contact between visitors and the destination: their hotel stay.
For international visitors, that could mean learning about local traditions before arriving, encountering Emirati design and dress at the property, understanding the food they are served and receiving guidance on cultural experiences beyond the hotel.
The standards will move into full implementation across Abu Dhabi in Q1 2027, marking a new phase in how the emirate integrates national identity into its growing hospitality industry.
Under the programme, those values will be incorporated into different points of contact between visitors and hospitality establishments.
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Source: Gulf News
