Individuals and travellers stranded in the United Arab Emirates have received a relief after authorities in Abu Dhabi and Dubai ordered hotels to extend their stay.
Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi)
and the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism instructed all hotels in the
two emirates to keep guests who are unable to depart.
Those affected by flight cancellations and airspace closures are
to remain in their rooms beyond their scheduled check-out dates with the UAE
government meeting the cost of extensions.
The directives require hotels to prioritise guest welfare, ensure
accommodation continuity and avoid asking travelers to vacate rooms if they
cannot leave the country or immediately cover extension costs.
The UAE General Civil Aviation Authority also announced that the
UAE will cover all costs of those stranded in the crisis, as airspace remains
closed, and will cover sustenance and accommodation costs for tourists left in
limbo.
In a circular dated February 28, addressed to general managers
of hotel establishments, DCT Abu Dhabi directed that guests facing travel
disruptions beyond their control must be accommodated until they are able to
leave the country.
A similar directive was issued in Dubai with Dubai’s Department
of Economy and Tourism issuing a formal directive to hotel managers instructing
them to allow affected guests to extend their stays under the same terms as
their original bookings.
“In light of the current circumstances and given that some
guests have reached their check out date but are unable to travel for reasons
beyond their control, you are kindly requested to extend their stay until they
are able to depart,” the circular said.
Hotel operators were instructed to notify the department
promptly in such cases, providing details on the original booking duration,
extension period and any operational challenges encountered.
“We kindly request your cooperation in ensuring that hotel
guests who were due to check out but are unable to do so as a result of these
circumstances are offered the option to extend their stay under the same conditions
as their initial booking,” the circular said.
“The cost of the extended
stay will be covered by DCT Abu Dhabi. Kindly send all related invoices to the
department.”
“It is important that no guests are evicted under these
circumstances," the circular continued.
This is major relief for travellers who include Kenyans as Dubai
in particular is one of the favourite destinations for Kenyans traveling for
holiday and business.
The government of Kenya is yet to issue statistics on number of
its citizens who may have been stranded in the Middle East as the Iran
retaliatory attacks intensify targeting American-Israel interests in the Gulf
states.
Al Maktoum International AirPort in Abi Dhabi, which is home to
Etihad Airlines as well as the world’s busiest airport by international
passenger’s Dubai International airport and home to the Emirates, remains
closed due to the conflict.
The crisis as also affected airports in major cities around the
region among the Doha in Qatar, Kuwait, Amman in Jordan, Ben Gurion in Israel,
Bahrain, Beirut in Lebanon and parts of Saudi Arabia including Riyadh.
