If you own an apartment or villa in Dubai and want to let it by the night, you can manage your Airbnb property yourself or hand the daily work to a holiday home management company. Both are allowed, and both can work.
In Dubai, a home let by the night is a holiday home, licensed by DET/DTCM (Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism). This guide compares the two options, with rules stated as of November 2026.
Key Takeaways
- DET/DTCM has two registration routes: you register as the homeowner, or a licensed operator registers your unit.
- Running it yourself means handling the permit, guest records, the Tourism Dirham, guests, cleaning, repairs, pricing and reviews.
- A manager takes on the daily work for a fee, within limits your agreement sets.
- Ownership, final decisions and the property’s running costs stay with you either way.
- Your time, where you live and how much control you want over the permit decide which option suits you.
Two Ways to Register a Holiday Home
DET/DTCM’s Holiday Homes System user guide sets out two account types: Home Owner, for a property you own, and Operator, for a company with a valid licence.
Route 1: You Register as the Homeowner
You open a DET/DTCM account in your own name, under DET/DTCM’s registration requirements. You can apply for permits only for units you own, up to eight, and the permit is issued in your name. You can run the unit yourself or hire a company for the daily work, and the unit stays in your account.
Route 2: A Licensed Operator Registers Your Unit
A company whose trade licence lists the vacation homes rental activity adds your unit to its own account, with your authorisation. Under DET/DTCM’s permit renewal rules, the permit’s dates follow the property management letter, the signed letter in which you appoint the operator. The operator carries the licensee duties for that unit.
Running it yourself means the first route. Our guide to what a holiday home management company does in Dubai explains how each route affects your control over the permit.
What Running It Yourself Involves
Managing a holiday rental property yourself gives you full control and no management fee. It also makes you the licensee, so every duty that comes with the permit is yours.
The Permit and Renewals
As of November 2026, every unit must be registered and approved by DET/DTCM before it is listed. Under Administrative Resolution No. (1) of 2020, a permit is valid for one year and can be renewed. DET/DTCM’s user guide adds that renewal opens only in the 30 days before expiry. Miss that window and the unit needs a new application.
Guest Registration and Records
The same guide explains that each check-in is recorded on DET/DTCM’s Holiday Home 2.0 system. Administrative Resolution No. (1) of 2020 also requires the licensee to sign a holiday home lease contract with each guest, keep guest records for at least three years, hold comprehensive insurance that covers damage guests may suffer and show the permit number in every advert.
The Tourism Dirham
The Tourism Dirham is charged to guests per bedroom, per night: for example, AED 20 a night for a two-bedroom apartment and AED 30 for a three-bedroom. The licensee collects it and pays it to DET/DTCM. Under Executive Council Resolution No. (2) of 2014, each month’s collections are due by the 15th of the following month, with late fees after that.
An economic incentives package announced on 21 May 2026 includes exemptions from Tourism Dirham collection and from holiday home permit and licence fees for establishments registered with DET/DTCM. Check with DET/DTCM whether it applies to you.
Guests, Turnovers and Upkeep
The daily work takes most of the time:
- Guest messages at any hour, including late at night and on public holidays.
- Check-ins, with access instructions, access cards and parking details.
- Cleaning, fresh linen and restocking after every stay.
- Maintenance, repairs and following up with contractors.
- Nightly pricing for demand, seasons and events.
- Replies to guest reviews on each platform.
- Records of every booking, payout and cost.
If you live abroad, you will need someone on the ground for keys, check-ins and repairs.
What a Manager Takes On
A manager runs the holiday home for you: listings, pricing, guest messages, check-ins and registration, cleaning, maintenance, permit paperwork and reporting. Our page on Airbnb management in Dubai shows that work day to day, and our guide to where to list your Dubai holiday home covers the platforms and the advert rules.
The trade-off is a fee and less day-to-day control. With Signature Prospera, that fee is one flat monthly amount by property type, with no revenue share, and platform commissions and government charges sit outside it. Your management agreement should say what the manager can decide alone and where booking income goes first. Our guide to what holiday home management fees include covers each cost.
What Stays With You Either Way
Whichever option you choose, some things stay yours:
- Ownership and final decisions. A manager works within limits you set.
- The property’s suitability. Your sale and purchase agreement must not rule out holiday home use, holiday homes are not permitted in hotel or hotel apartment buildings, and your building must allow short stays.
- Running costs, such as utilities and internet.
- Your own stays, with the notice you agree with any manager.
On the homeowner route, the permit and its guest records stay in your DET/DTCM account if you change manager, and the licensee duties remain yours. On the operator route, the operator carries those duties and the permit ends with your agreement.
Doing It Yourself vs With a Manager: Who Does What
With a manager, your agreement decides the detail.
| Task | Doing it yourself | With a manager |
|---|---|---|
| Registration | Homeowner route | Homeowner or operator route |
| Permit and renewals | You apply and renew | The manager prepares the paperwork |
| Guest registration | You record every check-in | The manager verifies and registers guests |
| Tourism Dirham | You collect it and pay monthly | As your agreement sets out |
| Guest messages, check-ins and reviews | You, at any hour | The manager’s team |
| Cleaning and maintenance | You book and follow up | The manager coordinates; you approve larger costs |
| Nightly pricing | You | The manager |
| Reporting | Your own records | Statements from the manager |
| Management fee | None | A monthly fee (one flat fee by property type with Signature Prospera) |
| Final decisions | You | You |
Questions to Help You Decide
- How much time can you give? Guests arrive and leave every few days.
- Do you live near the property, or have someone you trust on the ground?
- Are you comfortable with DET/DTCM’s renewal window and monthly Tourism Dirham payments?
- Do you have cleaners and contractors you trust?
- Whose name do you want on the permit? Ask any manager which route they use.
- Would you rather spend money or time?
If you live nearby, enjoy hosting and have reliable help, running it yourself can work well. If time, distance or the rules are the hurdle, a manager may suit you better.
How Signature Prospera Handles This
Signature Prospera is a holiday home management company in Dubai and Sharjah. The holiday home permit is issued in your name, and we prepare the paperwork with you, track renewals and never list a unit while its permit is pending. Our Dubai-based team answers guests 24/7 and verifies and registers every guest. We coordinate cleaning and maintenance, with repairs billed at cost and approvals as set out in your management agreement.
You pay one flat monthly fee based on your property type, with no revenue share, invoiced separately. Rental income goes to your bank account after every booking, with a revenue update every 15 days and a Statement of Accounts (SOA) by the 5th of each month. Plans are quarterly, six-month or annual, with no lock-in.
To weigh up both options for your apartment or villa, book a free rental assessment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I manage my Airbnb property in Dubai myself?
Yes. You can register as the homeowner with DET/DTCM, hold the holiday home permit in your own name and run the unit yourself. As of November 2026, homeowners can register up to eight units they own. You then carry the licensee duties, including guest records, Tourism Dirham collection and renewals.
Do I need a permit if I run the property myself?
Yes. As of November 2026, every unit must be registered and approved by DET/DTCM before it is listed, whoever runs it. A permit is valid for one year and can be renewed, but renewal opens only in the 30 days before expiry. If you miss that window, the unit needs a new application.
Can I start on my own and hire a manager later?
Yes. On the homeowner route, the unit sits in your own DET/DTCM account, so the permit, its renewal dates and its guest records stay with you when a company takes over the daily work. If a company would register the unit under its own operator licence instead, ask what happens to the permit if the agreement ends.
Who collects the Tourism Dirham if I manage the property myself?
You do, as the licensee. It is charged to guests per bedroom, per night, for example AED 20 a night for a two-bedroom apartment and AED 30 for a three-bedroom, and each month’s collections are due to DET/DTCM by the 15th of the following month. Exemptions were announced on 21 May 2026, so check the current position with DET/DTCM.
Sources
- Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism, Holiday Homes System User Guide, accessed November 2026
- Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism, Register to operate Holiday Homes, accessed November 2026
- Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism, Renew a Holiday Homes permit, accessed November 2026
- Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism, Hospitality services and permits, accessed November 2026
- Dubai Legislation Portal, Administrative Resolution No. (1) of 2020 Issuing the Implementing Bylaw of Decree No. (41) of 2013, accessed November 2026
- Dubai Legislation Portal, Executive Council Resolution No. (2) of 2014 Approving the Tourism Dirham Fee, accessed November 2026
- Government of Dubai Media Office, Hamdan bin Mohammed approves second, larger AED1.5 billion economic incentives package, accessed November 2026
About the Author
Madhuri Chari is the Founder and CEO of Signature Prospera, a holiday home management company in Dubai and Sharjah. She built the company around an owner-first approach, drawing on years of work in brand strategy, client relations and operational leadership. Connect with her on LinkedIn.
This article is general information, not legal or financial advice.