General Information » Essential Info » People With Disabilities

In keeping with its philosophy of being ‘The City that Cares’, Dubai is starting to consider the needs of physically challenged visitors more seriously. The Dubai International Airport is quite well equipped for physically challenged travellers with automatic doors, large lifts and all counters accessible by wheelchair users, as well as several services such as porters, special transportation and quick service at check-in desks to avoid queuing too long (see also Meet & Greet). Both from the airport and also just for journeys around town, Dubai Transport has a few specially modified taxis. Handicapped parking spaces do exist, but are often taken up by ignorant drivers who don’t need the facility.

The Special Needs People Tourism Working Committee, formed by the Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM), continues to improve and plan greater access around the city for the physically challenged, as well as improve heritage sites for the elderly and hearing impaired. Their part of the Department of Tourism & Commerce Marketing (DTCM) website is worth checking out for more information and useful listings of leisure facilities, tourist attractions and heritage sites which cater for visitors with special needs (www.dubaitourism.ae/disabled).

Most of Dubai’s five star hotels have wheelchair facilities but, in general, facilities for the disabled are very limited, particularly at tourist attractions. Wheelchair ramps are often really nothing more than delivery ramps, hence the steep angles. When asking if a location has wheelchair access, make sure it really does – an escalator is considered ‘wheelchair access’ to some. For hotels with specially adapted rooms for the physically challenged, please refer to the Hotels table.