Abu Dhabi: Is this the next global growth market for Short-Term Rental operators?

With Abu Dhabi’s holiday home sector recording significant growth in both accommodation supply and guest volumes, the emirate is emerging as a market worth watching.

As tourism investment accelerates and new regulations make it easier for professional operators to enter, SCALE is bringing together market data and local expertise to explore the opportunities in a free webinar on 5 October.

Dubai needs little introduction to the global short-term rental industry. Abu Dhabi, however, is a different story.

For many international property managers, the UAE capital has remained largely outside their expansion plans, overshadowed by its more established neighbour. But with tourism investment accelerating, visitor demand growing and a regulatory environment increasingly accommodating professional short-term rentals, that may be about to change.

And the latest figures suggest this is a market already moving at considerable pace.

A growing market, backed by government ambition

According to DCT Abu Dhabi figures reported in September, the emirate’s holiday home sector recorded 77% year-on-year growth in eligible accommodation supply in 2025, adding more than 2,000 units to reach a total of 4,771.

Guest volumes grew at the same rate, exceeding 335,000, with international travellers accounting for approximately three-quarters of the market. Domestic demand also saw significant growth, increasing 114% compared with 2024.

The expansion sits within the emirate’s wider Tourism Strategy 2030, which aims to attract 39.3 million annual visitors by the end of the decade, up from nearly 24 million in 2023.

The strategy includes substantial investment in tourism infrastructure, destination development and accommodation capacity, with plans to increase hotel room supply from 34,000 to 52,000.

For short-term rental operators looking beyond established markets, the combination of growing demand and an evolving accommodation sector raises some interesting questions.

Where is that demand coming from?

What types of accommodation are guests looking for?

And where might gaps in existing supply create opportunities for professional property managers?

There is also the question of regulation.

A regulatory environment opening up to operators

In September, Abu Dhabi’s Department of Culture and Tourism (DCT Abu Dhabi) announced a significant update to its holiday home framework, introducing an upgraded digital licensing platform capable of issuing permits in under six hours.

The changes also broaden eligibility for holiday home operations, while introducing stricter transparency requirements for property listings across digital booking platforms.

The direction is notable, particularly at a time when many established short-term rental destinations are introducing increasingly restrictive operating environments.

Abu Dhabi is pursuing a framework designed to accommodate growth while strengthening oversight, compliance and transparency.

You can read more about the changes in our recent Wire article, Abu Dhabi Overhauls Holiday Home Rules With Faster Licensing and Wider Eligibility.

But regulation and headline growth figures only tell part of the story. For an operator considering a new market, understanding what those numbers mean commercially is where things become particularly interesting.

Beyond the numbers: what does the opportunity look like on the ground?

On Monday 5 October, SCALE, in partnership with DCT Abu Dhabi, is hosting a free webinar bringing together government insight, market data and the experience of operators already active in the region.

Abu Dhabi: The Next Global Growth Market for Short-Term Rental Operators will examine the market from two perspectives: what the data is telling us today, and what operators need to understand before considering investment or expansion.

Katia Muro, Research Section Head in DCT Abu Dhabi’s Data & AI Department, will open with an overview of current market performance, including demand, occupancy trends, guest demographics and the direction of future growth.

We’ll then move into a round-table discussion with Peter May, COO of Silkhaus, and Asif Parkar, General Manager of Massara, exploring the practical realities of operating in Abu Dhabi.

From navigating the licensing process and working within the regulatory framework to identifying supply gaps and understanding the challenges of market entry, the conversation will look beyond the headline growth figures to examine where the commercial opportunities may lie.

Marijana Mihajlovic from DCT Abu Dhabi will also join the session, with time for questions from the audience.

With Abu Dhabi’s Tourism Strategy 2030 targeting significant growth in visitor numbers and accommodation capacity, the ambition is certainly there. The question for professional short-term rental operators is how, where and when they might become part of that growth.

Whether Abu Dhabi is already on your expansion radar or you’ve barely considered it, join us for an hour exploring a market that deserves a closer look.

FREE WEBINAR

Abu Dhabi: The Next Global Growth Market for Short-Term Rental Operators

In partnership with DCT Abu Dhabi

Monday 5 October 2026 | 11:00 CEST | Online | Free Registration

Featuring:

• Katia Muro – Research Section Head, Data & AI Department, DCT Abu Dhabi
• Peter May – COO, Silkhaus
• Asif Parkar – General Manager, Massara
• Marijana Mihajlovic – DCT Abu Dhabi

Register for the free webinar.