Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) has invited hotels to participate in the second cycle of the Dubai Sustainable Tourism Stamp (DST Stamp) a project that serves as a validation of a hotel’s dedication to sustainability, while showcasing its eco practices to guests and the global community.
DST Stamp recognises hotels in the city with the highest levels of adherence to DET’s ‘19 Sustainability Requirements’, a set of mandatory standards to support the ongoing drive to position Dubai as a leading sustainable tourism destination.
Launched in 2023, the DST Stamp is awarded under a three-tier scheme – gold, silver, and bronze – and validated by a committee of senior industry professionals to ensure integrity and independence.
The window for hotels to submit their applications opened on August 15 and will close on September 15, with the announcement of the hotels receiving the DST Stamp for 2024 set to be made in January 2025.
Yousuf Lootah, CEO of Corporate Strategy and Performance sector at DET, and Head of the DET Environmental Sustainability & Social Responsibility Committee, said: “The Dubai Sustainable Tourism Stamp is more than just an accolade to recognise excellence in sustainability – it is a testament to the support and guidance of our visionary leadership to position Dubai at the forefront of global efforts in sustainable tourism.
“As we launch the second cycle of the DST Stamp, we invite hotels across Dubai to showcase their commitment to sustainability and contribute to our shared vision for a greener future, aligning with a key goal of the D33 Agenda to transform Dubai into the best city to visit, live and work in.
“This initiative continues to inspire enhanced collaboration between the government and private sectors in Dubai, further underscoring our resolve to set new standards in environmental stewardship within the hospitality industry.”
The ‘19 Sustainability Requirements’ were introduced in 2019 to guide hotels in implementing eco-friendly practices, and are part of the wider Dubai Sustainable Tourism (DST) initiative, developed by DET to drive the tourism sector’s transition to a low-carbon, resource-efficient, and sustainable industry model.
It is part of DET’s broader commitment to fostering sustainable tourism in Dubai and is aligned with the ambitious goals of the Dubai Economic Agenda, D33, to further consolidate Dubai’s position as a leading global city for business and leisure.
Encompassing a wide range of criteria that hotels must meet, the ‘19 Sustainability Requirements’ include taking steps to achieve energy and water efficiency, implementing waste management programmes, guest education, and employee training initiatives, all designed to enhance environmental performance and ensure compliance with sustainability standards.
Inspired by global objectives such as the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals 2030, and country-wide strategies including the UAE’s Net Zero 2050 initiatives, the DST initiative and DST Stamp align with the UAE’s Year of Sustainability, which was extended into 2024.
Another key initiative under DST has been the rollout and ongoing development of the Carbon Calculator tool, which measures the carbon footprint within Dubai’s hospitality sector. The tool tracks real-time data for carbon emission sources, allowing hotels to identify and effectively manage their energy consumption.
Additionally, DST complements the citywide ‘Dubai Can’ sustainability movement, which through its ‘Refill for Life’ campaign has seen the reduction in the usage of an equivalent of more than 23 million 500ml single-use plastic water bottles and 11.5 million litres of water dispensed via 50 water fountains located throughout the city.
Dubai Can has followed this up with a second initiative, Dubai Reef, the world’s largest marine reef development project, with 20,000 modules set to be deployed across 600 square kilometres of Dubai’s waters by 2027.