Why more Dubai hotels are embracing sustainable tourism

Dubai has awarded its Dubai Sustainable Tourism (DST) Stamp to 237 hotels, marking a significant increase in industry participation as the emirate continues to push sustainability across its hospitality sector.

Now in its third cycle, the program recognized 22 hotels with Gold, 92 with Silver, and 123 with Bronze after they met the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism’s (DET) 19 sustainability requirements.

The number of certified hotels has grown by 55% from 153 in the previous cycle and has more than tripled since the program launched in 2023, when 70 hotels received recognition.

The annual certification is designed to encourage responsible hospitality practices while providing travelers with an independently verified benchmark for sustainable accommodation.

Hotels are assessed by independent third-party evaluators against environmental, social and governance (ESG) criteria, including energy and water efficiency, waste management, responsible sourcing, employee engagement, guest awareness, community initiatives and climate action. A senior jury committee reviews and approves the final results.

Yousuf Lootah, CEO of Corporate Strategy and Performance at DET, said the increase in certified properties reflects the hospitality sector’s growing commitment to embedding sustainability into everyday operations while supporting Dubai’s wider environmental, economic and tourism goals.

The DST Stamp is valid for one year and aims to strengthen the competitiveness of Dubai’s tourism industry by recognizing hotels that demonstrate measurable sustainability performance.

The twenty two hotels awarded the Gold DST Stamp are Al Habtoor Palace, Anantara The Palm Dubai Resort, Atlantis, The Palm, Atlantis The Royal, Conrad Dubai, DoubleTree by Hilton Dubai – Business Bay, Fairmont The Palm, FIVE Jumeirah Village, FIVE Palm Jumeirah, Grosvenor House Tower Two, Hampton by Hilton Dubai Al Barsha, ibis Dubai One Central, ibis World Trade Centre Dubai, Kempinski Hotel & Residences Palm Jumeirah, Mövenpick Hotel Jumeirah Beach, Novotel World Trade Centre Dubai, Radisson Dubai DAMAC Hills, Rove Trade Centre, Sheraton Grand Hotel Dubai, Sofitel Dubai The Obelisk, Swissôtel Al Ghurair and Waldorf Astoria Dubai Palm Jumeirah.