With Dubai’s new smart tourism initiative, guests will be able to skip reception check-in procedures and enjoy a seamless and comfortable experience by uploading their ID and biometric data only once. The securely stored data will remain valid until the ID expires, enabling faster check-ins during future stays and further enhancing the returning-guest experience.

Dubai has announced the launch of a city-wide, one-time contactless hotel check-in solution. Setting a new global standard for guest comfort, security and innovation in the hospitality sector, the system allows guests staying at participating hotels and holiday homes to bypass physical check-in procedures entirely.

Developed by Visit Dubai and delivered in partnership with independent technology providers, this pioneering biometric and digital solution is now ready for immediate integration across hotels and holiday homes in Dubai. The system accelerates the arrival process, ensuring a smooth check-in experience. The initiative strengthens Dubai’s position as a future-focused global tourism destination that prioritizes both guest satisfaction and operational excellence through advanced technologies.

This innovative system enables guests to complete all check-in procedures directly from their mobile phones before arriving at the hotel. By uploading ID and biometric data once, the process is significantly accelerated and traditional check-in times are minimized. Upon arrival, guests can fully bypass reception desk procedures. The securely stored data can be used until the ID’s expiration date, meaning future visits require only quick verification methods such as facial recognition. With nearly a quarter of Dubai’s annual visitors being repeat guests, this service aims to make their stays even more convenient and strengthen their loyalty to the destination.

Issam Kazim, CEO of the Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Visit Dubai), under the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism, commented: “The implementation of this guest-centric innovation will reduce all barriers from the moment travelers step into the city, allowing them to begin their holiday efficiently and pleasantly. It will also simplify the return journeys of our loyal visitors while enabling hotels in Dubai to focus on more valuable and meaningful interactions with their guests. This technology offers tremendous potential for hotels to elevate their service standards even further. We invite more investors and operators to integrate this feature into their systems.”

The solution is designed for easy integration into existing hotel apps or web platforms. Beyond its immediate benefits, it holds significant potential for use in other tourism touchpoints such as car rentals, paving the way for a more integrated and personalized visitor experience across the city. It also complements other smart technologies used across the destination, such as the smart tunnels at Dubai International Airport, which reduce passport control times to mere seconds.

Dubai’s hospitality sector continues to be one of the cornerstones of its global destination growth, with 820 hotels and hotel apartments currently operating across the city. Supporting the emirate’s broader tourism appeal, the sector contributed to hosting 15.70 million international overnight visitors in the first 10 months of 2025, and achieving a total of 36.71 million hotel nights, marking a 5% year-on-year increase.