18 hotels earn Dubai Sustainable...

Atlantis, The Palm and Jumeirah Al Qasr among top eco achievers in the emirate

With travellers demanding action from hotels, airlines and tour operators, the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) has recognised strong commitment to the cause with 153 hotels in the emirate being awarded the Dubai Sustainable Tourism (DST) Stamp.

This marks a significant increase from the inaugural awards last year where just 70 hotels achieved the accolade. A total of 352 hotels applied for the award in 2024.

This is good for business, with Marriott Bonvoy’s 2025 Ticket to Travel report saying sustainability credentials are increasingly important for UAE and Saudi travellers. Three-quarters said they checked sustainability ratings of the accommodation they stayed in on their last holiday (79% in UAE and 71% in Saudi).

The DST Stamp was launched in July 2023 to align with Dubai’s green goals and recognises hotels that have demonstrated a clear commitment to sustainable practices. Hotels are evaluated against 19 sustainability requirements covering areas such as energy efficiency, water conservation, waste management and staff engagement.

The awards come in three tiers with 18 hotels achieving the top Gold award for 2024. These include Atlantis, The Palm; Atlantis The Royal; Jumeirah Al Qasr; Jumeirah Dar Al Masyaf; Le Royal Méridien Beach Resort & Spa; and Grosvenor House, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Dubai.

A further 64 hotels earned Silver status and 71 Bronze, including Banyan Tree Dubai (Silver), SLS Dubai Hotel and Residences (Silver) and 25 Hours Dubai One Central (Bronze).

“Together, we are building a greener, more resilient Dubai, ensuring it continues to be a vibrant, livable and attractive destination for future generations,” said Yousuf Lootah, CEO of Corporate Strategy and Performance at DET.

The awards ceremony was held at Atlantis, The Royal, and Kelly Timmins, Executive Director, Sustainability & Marine Animal Operations at Atlantis Dubai, said they were delighted to be awarded the Gold DST Stamp for both Dubai properties.

“Sustainability is at the core of our operations, and through the Atlantis Atlas Project, which launched in 2021, we strive to do business in ways that benefit both people and the planet,” said Timmins.

Atlantis Dubai shark release

Since 2019, Atlantis Dubai has released 58 sharks and 10 rays into the Arabian Gulf, while Atlantis colleagues dedicated 118 volunteer hours across three events in 2024, from beach cleanups to tree plantings.

The DST Stamp certification is valid for one year, so hotels are encouraged to continue their sustainability efforts to retain or improve their tier rating.

Sustainability will be one of the key discussion points across the industry in 2025, with the Future Hospitality Summit (FHS) World Advisory Board naming action on climate and planet as one of its six top trends for the year. The board said the focus should shift to genuine accountability, measurable metrics and the adoption of industry best practices.

For more information, visit dst.det.gov.ae

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