Abu Dhabi Opens Holiday Home Market to Tenants Under New DCT Regulations, Expanding Short-Term Rental Eligibility Beyond Property Owners

Abu Dhabi's Department of Culture and Tourism revised holiday home regulations on September 17, allowing tenants to operate short-term rentals for the first time alongside individual owners, joint owners, legal entities, and people authorized by property owners. The updated rules clarify regulatory requirements covering eligibility, licensing, operational obligations, inspections, and compliance. Previously, only property owners could list units as holiday homes; the expansion to tenants removes a significant barrier for residents who do not own real estate but wish to participate in the short-term rental market, similar to platforms like Airbnb. The regulatory update comes as Abu Dhabi accelerates its tourism strategy ahead of the winter season. The emirate's real estate transaction value jumped 76.6 percent to Dh203.01 billion in the 12 months ending June 30, 2026, with the total number of transactions rising 64.53 percent to 53,177, according to the Abu Dhabi Real Estate Centre. Abu Dhabi's active construction portfolio exceeds Dh477 billion, driven by over 38,600 active licenses, including mega infrastructure schemes with over Dh200 billion allocated to the Abu Dhabi Plan for Infrastructure and a Dh55 billion public-private partnership pipeline. The new holiday home rules support the emirate's push to diversify accommodation supply and capture growing visitor numbers, particularly from international markets, as part of the broader UAE tourism rebound.