Dubai luxury hotels court local residents as tourism slumps

Article excerpt

Dubai's luxury hotels, once temples to international tourism, are pivoting desperately toward local residents as the region's geopolitical crises hollow out visitor demand. Five-star properties on the Palm, the artificial island symbol of Dubai excess, now pack weekends with Emiratis lured by aggressive staycation discounts, a striking reversal for an industry built on wealthy travelers from abroad. The shift reflects broader economic pressures: war in the region and faltering tourism numbers have forced hoteliers to abandon the wealthy-foreigner model and court a domestic market that, months ago, they largely ignored.