Abu Dhabi has revised the fees applicable to hotels in the Emirate, to reduce tourists’ costs and encourage a boost in tourism.
The Emirate’s Department of Culture and Tourism announced last month that the government taxes paid by hotels and tourists would be reduced to support growth in the hospitality and tourism sector.
This includes the reduction of a tourism fee issued to customers from 6% to 4% of the total value of the customer's hotel invoice, the removal of a municipality fee of Dh15 (R79) per room per night, a 6% tourism fee and a 4% municipal fee applying to hotel restaurants. According to thenationalnews.com, the changes came into effect from September 1.
According to government statistics, the UAE capital of Abu Dhabi welcomed 18 million visitors last year. The Emirate has an emphasis on culture – the most-visited cultural sites included the Louvre Abu Dhabi, the Cultural Foundation and Qasr Al Hosn.
Overnight visitors reached 4,1 million this year, a 24% increase from the previous year.