Travellers stranded in the United Arab Emirates amid escalating regional tensions have been given an unusual assurance: stay where you are, and the government will cover the bill.
Authorities in Abu Dhabi and Dubai have ordered hotels not to evict guests unable to leave because of flight cancellations and airspace closures. The directive, issued in recent days, reflects mounting concern for thousands of visitors caught in a widening aviation shutdown across parts of the Middle East.
Officials said stranded guests could remain in their rooms beyond their scheduled checkout dates. The state would pay for extended stays and, in some cases, basic sustenance.
“In light of the current circumstances, and given that some guests have reached their checkout 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 Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi said in a circular to hotel managers dated February 28.
The circular was explicit on one point. “It is important that no guests are evicted under these circumstances,” it added, noting that hotels should submit invoices directly to the department for reimbursement.
A similar order was issued by the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism, which told hotels to allow affected travellers to remain under the same terms as their original bookings.
The moves came as airspace closures rippled across the region. Aviation authorities cited safety concerns linked to ongoing military tensions involving Iran and its adversaries. Flights were cancelled or diverted, leaving passengers in limbo.
The UAE General Civil Aviation Authority said the government would bear the cost of accommodation and welfare for stranded visitors, underscoring what officials described as a duty of care.
Airports across the Gulf and beyond have been affected. Operations at Dubai International Airport, one of the world’s busiest hubs for international travel, faced disruption, while regional routes connecting cities such as Doha, Amman and Beirut were also affected, according to aviation officials and airline advisories.
For travellers, the announcement brought relief after days of uncertainty.
Dubai, in particular, is a major transit point linking Asia, Europe and Africa. Thousands of visitors pass through daily, including tourists and business travellers from countries such as Kenya, where the Gulf state remains a popular destination.
Hotel operators have largely complied with the order. Several said privately that while the directive posed logistical challenges, it provided clarity at a time when guests had few options.
The broader crisis has exposed the fragility of global air travel in moments of conflict. Even countries far from the front lines can find themselves at the centre of disruption.
For now, stranded travellers in the Emirates have at least one certainty. They will not be asked to leave — and they will not be asked to pay.
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