Dubai Sustainable Tourism Stamp: DET awards 70 hotels; see list

Dubai is focused on becoming a leading global sustainable destination. It is the first city in the region to mandate sustainability criteria for its hotel classification system, with the Dubai Sustainable Tourism (DST) Stamp being a key initiative to recognise hotels in the city that meet the highest standards of DET’s Sustainability Requirements.

The initiative, launched last year in tandem with the UAE Year of Sustainability, aims to support hotels in the city to achieve their sustainability goals in line with DET’s 19 Sustainability Requirements.

The Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) awarded 70 hotels in Dubai with the DST Stamp at an award ceremony hosted by DET at Sofitel Dubai The Obelisk, on January 18.

See the list of hotels that were awarded.

DET’s Sustainability Requirements

These requirements involve the implementation of sustainable management approaches, performance metrics, energy, food and water management plans, guest education, employee training initiatives, creating sustainability committees within hotel establishments, and corporate social responsibility programmes for local communities

The stamp is awarded based on a three-tiered system of gold, silver, and bronze, related to the winner’s level of compliance achieved. This also reflects a thorough accreditation process overseen by a committee of senior industry professionals.

The initiative aims to accelerate the tourism sector’s efforts to support the UAE’s NetZero 2050 strategy, and aligns with the goals of the Dubai Economic Agenda, D33, to consolidate Dubai’s position as one of the top three global cities for business and leisure, and the best city to visit, live and work in.

We have awarded 70 hotels with the ‘Dubai Sustainable Tourism Stamp’, a new sustainability initiative that recognises hotels with the highest level of adherence to our 19 Sustainability Requirements, further reinforcing #Dubai‘s drive to become a leading sustainable destination. pic.twitter.com/nb0JtwtYwr

— Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism (@DubaiDET) January 18, 2024

Issam Kazim, CEO, Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing said: “The awarding of the first Dubai Sustainable Tourism Stamps is an important moment in our collective journey, and we congratulate and thank the participating and winning hotels for their efforts.

“We are committed to supporting the industry with frameworks and initiatives that can contribute to achieving our shared goals, and the launch of DST Stamp has underlined our commitment to collaborating with our stakeholders – in this case hotels – to set the highest standards and reward those who achieve them. Through the continued development of the DST Stamp, as well as other current and future initiatives, we look forward to further consolidating Dubai’s status as a sustainable tourism destination.”

Yousuf Lootah, head of DET Environmental Sustainability & Social Responsibility Committee, said, “The naming of 70 award winners in this first edition of DST Stamp certification underlines the Dubai hotel industry’s high level of compliance with our 19 Sustainability Requirements, and provides us with a strong platform to build on over coming years. A clear indicator of the sector’s ongoing maturity, this impressive result highlights the awareness and commitment of operators to drive sustainable tourism practices, in line with our city’s visionary leadership.

“This is an important step towards achieving our strategic goal of making Dubai the first choice destination for global travellers seeking the ultimate sustainable experience.

“By supporting businesses and encouraging them to adopt eco-friendly practices and reduce their carbon footprint, we are helping to safeguard the environment, promoting sustainable growth, and demonstrating the tourism industry’s foresight and determination to foster an eco-friendly sector that is both economically prosperous and environmentally responsible.”

Dubai takes key steps to ensure sustainable practices

With a one-year validity, the DST Stamp is the latest initiative in DET’s sustainability strategy which has already seen the launch of the Carbon Calculator – a platform conceived to help stakeholders and partners identify cost-saving opportunities and manage the transition to sustainable practices – and the Dubai Can initiative, which was launched in February 2022 with the ‘Refill for Life’ campaign promoting the use of reusable bottles and encouraging people to refill via 50 water fountains established throughout the city.

A second Dubai Can project, the Dubai Reef, was launched in December 2023; one of the world’s largest marine reef developments, Dubai Reef is part of the city’s efforts to increase fish stocks, support sustainable fishing and contribute to boosting food security.