What is the Dubai Assured stamp? Applies to restaurants, stores, hotels and more

The newly launched stamp is valid for two weeks and means an establishment adheres to government safety guidelines

Visitors take photos from At The Top, Burj Khalifa in Dubai. Reem Mohammed / The National

Staff of Hafiz Mustafa in facemasks at their shop in The Dubai Mall. Reem Mohammed / The National

Babki sanitises the railing at the Ice Rink in The Dubai Mall. Reem Mohammed / The National

Signs requiring people to social distance at Dubai Mall’s Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo. Reem Mohammed / The National

Skating shoes are sanitised at the Ice Rink in Dubai Mall. Reem Mohammed / The National

A staff with the parrots at Dubai Mall’s Aquarium and Underwater Zoo. Reem Mohammed / The National

A staff holds a thermometer at Dubai Mall’s Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo. Reem Mohammed / The National

Signs requiring people to social distance at Dubai Mall’s Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo. Reem Mohammed / The National

A woman skates at Dubai Mall’s Ice Rink. Reem Mohammed /The National

Signs requiring people to social distance at Dubai Mall’s Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo. Reem Mohammed / The National

General view the safety rules at Times Square Centre in Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Green planet biologist Sara Stevens with an Umbrella Cockatoo at The Green Planet. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Green planet biologist Peter Njoroge holds a Blue tongued skink. Chris Whiteoak / The National

The Green Planet has opened with Covid-19 measures in place. Chris Whiteoak / The National

A person wearing protective face mask during the hot and humid weather in Al Satwa area in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National

Dubai’s skyline seen from At The Top, Burj Khalifa. Reem Mohammed / The National

Residents or tourists visiting Dubai restaurants, hotels, shops or attractions will soon start to notice a new stamp and sticker that reads "Dubai Assured".

What is it? On Saturday, Dubai launched a programme to assure residents and tourists that an establishment has implemented all the necessary public health protocols for the prevention and management of Covid-19.

A verification and validation process has been put in place by the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism), Department of Economic Development (Dubai Economy) and Dubai Municipality, after which an establishment will be issued a Dubai Assured stamp.

It is a visual mark reassuring guests that safety and hygiene measures prescribed by the authorities have been complied with across hotels, attractions, shops, malls, restaurants, bars and leisure and entertainment destinations. The establishments can feature this stamp of assurance in their communications with customers.

What does it mean?

The Dubai Assured stamp will be issued free of charge to establishments that are proven to be following public health protocols. It is valid for 15 days.

It can be renewed every two weeks, upon further verification by inspectors from the relevant authorities.

That means customers will know the destination they are heading to has been inspected and deemed safe by the authorities within the past 15 days.

The move is in line with Dubai’s gradual easing of restrictions, which has resulted in the reopening of public and private facilities such as beaches, shopping malls, restaurants, swimming pools and golf courses, and the resumption of activities including water sports and camping. It is also part of efforts to reassure tourists of safety, as the emirate continues to welcome international arrivals.

At the time of publishing, more than 1,000 establishments had been inspected for compliance as part of the programme, making them eligible to receive the Dubai Assured stamp.

“With health and safety foremost on the minds of travellers when selecting their destination, the ‘Dubai Assured’ seal is a simple yet critical mechanism to ensure tourists enjoy a smooth and safe experience at every stage of their journey, from arrival at our airports to their departure from Dubai,” Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General of Dubai Tourism, said in a statement.

Dawoud Al Hajri, Director General of Dubai Municipality, said it is taking effective steps to facilitate a gradual return to normal life in a safe environment.

“We have outlined precautionary measures for all hotels to ensure their guests can enjoy activities in all its facilities including beaches. We continuously follow up to ensure compliance with precautionary measures as part of making sure all hotels in Dubai are prepared to receive guests with the highest standards of hygiene and safety.”

There are many guidelines in place, including mall operators using thermal scanners and cameras at entrances and restaurants enforcing a distance of two metres between tables.

Prior to the launch of the Dubai Assured stamp, many establishments have relied on safety verification from international organisations such as Bureau Veritas, which has a Safeguard label, and the World Travel and Tourism Council, which has a Safe Travels stamp.

So far 48 properties in the UAE have received the Bureau Veritas Safeguard label.

Meanwhile, Dubai recently received the Safe Travels stamp from the WTTC, validating the city’s efforts to implement safety protocols that are in line with international standards.