Dubai has launched an academy for travel content creators to boost tourism and support digital storytelling projects.
It is hoped that the ‘Beautiful Destinations Academy, Powered by Dubai’ initiative will help promote the city’s global image. It will introduce formal standards, structure and accountability to a previously informal field.
The curriculum is designed to develop creative and commercial skills combining technical proficiency with marketing principles.
After completing the programme, they will be awarded a certificate of participation from Dubai College of Tourism. Influencers interested in enrolling can apply online through the Beautiful Destinations website. The academy session will take place in Dubai from May 2025, lasting three months.
“The launch of this innovative programme with Beautiful Destinations is a testament to our commitment to fostering creativity, innovation, and excellence in the tourism sector,” said Issam Kazim, CEO of Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing. “By providing a dedicated space for content creators, we aim to amplify Dubai’s global appeal and further solidify our position as the best city to visit, live, and work in.”
National investment in creators
It follows the formation of the Creators HQ earlier this year, which aims to attract 10,000 influencers to the UAE. This will serve to “empower creators, amplify their impact, and establish sustainable frameworks for the booming creator economy”, according to the government.
It was established with 100 members drawn from 20 countries, including some of the world's leading content creators as well as those championing the rise of the sector. The hub, launched at the 1 Billion Followers Summit in January, will also allow influencers to apply for a 10-year residency golden visa.
The initiative has been endorsed by many of the world’s most prominent names in the field of written or visual content, including Meta, TikTok, X, Spotter, Creator Now, Tube Filter, Epidemic Sound and the New Media Academy.
“Today we spearhead major efforts dedicated to building a comprehensive content economy that further establishes the UAE’s leadership in a field that has become a key driver of the future,” said Mohammad Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs, at the time of the launch.
‘A huge opportunity’
If you are making money through social media in the UAE, you will also need a licence from the National Media Council, which costs Dh15,000 in Abu Dhabi and Dubai – but costs can vary depending on the emirate.
The standard content creator licence must be renewed each year, which would not be the case for golden visa holders, who would not have to update it during the 10 years of their accreditation. This amounts to a “huge opportunity for any content creator, in or out of the country”, according to Rami Al Asmar, who posts history videos on TikTok and Instagram and spoke to The National during the summit.
Coral Stevens, who reviews restaurants and other popular destinations under the handle of dxb-hun on Instagram in Dubai had another perspective, saying that having a golden visa will make it easier to settle for the long term and would ease some financial pressures.
“I’m hoping it will allow more stability as a content creator, and more financial stability. Knowing my future is more long term than having to renew my visa every two years would definitely make me feel more stable. Also, my business licence is very costly at Dh22,000 a year. Having the golden visa could definitely help reduce this cost.”
The changes make content creators feel more valued, Ms Stevens said. She added that she wants to apply for the golden visa because it would secure her future in the UAE and enable her to stay long term with her family.
“I’m extremely excited I could apply for it – it’s something I’d be so honoured to have,” said Ms Stevens, who has 128,000 online followers. “I know my page has brought some tourism to the country, and it would definitely be the cherry on the cake, I would feel extremely valued and all the hard work I’ve put into content would have paid off.”
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, posted on social media platform X last year that the UAE welcomes creators whose work can help create a better life and future. He added the country would build a sustainable economic sector for content creation.
