Hotels in West Asia are trying to win over customers with discounts and free stay offers for children.
These offers have been launched as a two-month long Iran-US conflict put the brakes on tourism in the region. Airspace curbs and flight cancellations impacted travel. Dubai airport saw a 66 per cent year on year drop in passenger traffic in March. Now with the resumption of full air traffic, tourism boards and hotels are activating promotions.
Over a hundred hotels and resorts in Qatar are offering free stays to children under 12 when sharing their parents room. This is a part of Visit Qatar’s five month promotional campaign between May-September. The children will also get complimentary meals and can explore various attractions in the country under Kids Explore Free offer.
“The initiative reinforces Visit Qatar’s ambition to position summer in Qatar as a distinctive, family-focused season, showcasing the country as a vibrant destination for entertainment, leisure and culture,” it said.
Hotels in Abu Dhabi and Oman are providing incentives such as preferential rates, complimentary rooms and upgrades for group bookings and corporate events. Hyatt and IHG branded hotels are also giving bonus loyalty points to guests attending conferences or events.
Summer discounts
Hotels in UAE do offer discounts during summer but this time the rates are much lower compared to previous years. Corporate executives are not travelling to the region yet because of company policies. However, there is a pick up in individual and family travel following declaration of ceasefire, a travel sector executive said.
On Saturday the UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority announced full resumption of air traffic. Qatar opened airspace for foreign airlines on April 20. Operations at Dubai airport are being ramped up with removal of airspace restrictions. The airport also expects a revival in transit traffic with Emirates restoring 96 per cent of its global network.
“Our collective response to the challenges has sharpened our ability to adapt at pace. That readiness will enable us to accommodate returning demand as capacity is restored, reinforcing Dubai’s role as a leading global hub,” said Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports said.
Regional competitors like Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways are stepping up their promotions too. Etihad Airways is giving a 10 per cent discount on seats across its network for its loyalty club members. “Introducing exclusive discounts allows us to ensure our members enjoy greater value and more rewarding redemption opportunities aligning with what our members appreciate the most,” said Mark Potter, Managing Director, Etihad Guest, airline’s loyalty programme.
Published on May 6, 2026