Dubai camps down for new safer desert tour rules in three months

Dubai pitches for new regulations for desert camps and tours, in a bid to ensure health and safety standards, while setting a benchmark for quality outdoor adventures.

The emirate’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism) has unveiled its new ‘Desert Tour and Camp Regulations’, which is aimed at further elevating the emirate’s popular desert experience, especially for operators managing outdoor, cultural and hospitality activities.

Operators will now be evaluated on a number of categories including, visitor experience, health and safety, insurance coverage, marketing and advertising as well as transport and logistics.

The new regulations will also focus on the implementation of environmentally sustainable practices and will come into effect in three month’s time.

To bring desert tours on par with other adventure staples in the emirate, Dubai Tourism will also facilitate collaboration between government departments and industry players.

This will include increasing dialogue with agencies such as the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), Dubai Municipality, as well as Dubai Police and the Directorate of Civil Defence to ensure that booking agents, camp operators and drivers adhere to codes of conduct, safety regulations and quality standards.

The move also allows operators to take ownership of gathering feedback from visitors on performance, with support from government entities.

Dubai Tourism will be complementing the introduction of minimum standards with increased investment in upgrading infrastructure, including new regulations with regards to the upkeep of facilities, e-Permit systems to streamline and simplify processes and an inspection system to keep tabs on offending drivers and operators.

Guest safety is specifically targeted in the new regulations, such as mandatory child car seat regulations, vehicle inspection criteria and provisions to ensure all in-car safety equipment is installed by approved vendors.

In addition, all drivers must have completed their tour guide certification from Dubai Tourism, deliver mandatory safety briefings to guests and have all correct RTA licenses.

“Close to 20 per cent of all tourists who visit Dubai include a desert experience as part of their agenda and desert-based activities have consistently ranked amongst the top 10 must-do activities in Dubai. In order to elevate this signature experience and make it integral to the tourist agenda, we have established a rule book for operators that sets out targets, standards and best practices,” stated Khaled Bin Touq, Executive Director, Tourism Activities and Classification Sector.

“Encouraging operators to scale up their investment and focus in these areas will feed into the overall aim to move desert adventures to the top five adventure activities in Dubai, which in turn will have a knock-on effect of bolstering Dubai’s overall reputation as an adventure hub with a distinct and diverse offering.

“With over 30 per cent of visitors using online research to select destinations and activities, improving our quality credentials will help generate positive feedback and increased bookings.”

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