Guests staying at hotels and holiday homes in Dubai will soon be able to skip reception desks completely, thanks to a new citywide one-time contactless check-in system announced by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

The new system will enable travellers to complete their entire check-in process before arrival, using only their mobile phones. Once activated, guests will no longer need to stand in queues or present documents at hotel counters.

The initiative supports the goals of the Dubai Economic Agenda D33, which aims to strengthen the emirate’s position as a global hub for tourism, business and innovation.

How the system works

Guests will upload their ID and biometric details once through their phone before their stay. On arrival at participating hotels, they will simply verify their identity through quick authentication, such as facial recognition.

The data will remain valid until the ID document expires, meaning repeat visitors will enjoy even faster future check-ins. Repeat travellers already make up nearly a quarter of Dubai’s annual visitors.

Easy integration for hotels

The system has been developed by the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) and will be offered through approved technology providers. Hotels can integrate it easily into their existing apps or websites.

Bigger plans ahead

Beyond hotels, the technology could soon be used across other tourism services such as car rentals, making travel across Dubai even smoother. The move also builds on existing smart upgrades such as the smart passport tunnels at Dubai International Airport, which have already cut immigration processing times to seconds.

Dubai tourism by the numbers

Dubai currently has 820 hotels and hotel apartments across the city. In the first ten months of 2025 alone, the emirate welcomed 15.7 million international overnight visitors, who booked a total of 36.71 million room nights.

Hotels and holiday homes interested in adopting the new system can contact the DET Call Centre on 600 545 555.