Dubai Becomes First 'Certified Autism Destination' In The Eastern Hemisphere

Dubai has become the first city in the Eastern Hemisphere to be officially recognised as a “Certified Autism Destination.” Awarded by the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES), the designation marks a major step in the city's efforts to ensure accessible tourism experiences for all.

Spearheaded by the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), the certification process involved comprehensive autism and sensory awareness training for the city’s tourist-facing workforce, from the aviation ecosystem to hotels, attractions and transportation. Key initiatives included comprehensive staff training programmes, expanded visitor support at attractions, and the introduction of sensory guides and hidden disability lanyards to ensure a seamless and inclusive experience for all. Additionally, each certified location underwent an onsite review and received custom sensory guides developed by IBCCES as part of the process.

His Excellency Issam Kazim, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DCTCM), said, “Dubai’s designation as a ‘Certified Autism Destination’ is a landmark moment in our accessibility journey, demonstrating a collective commitment to not only consistently developing infrastructure, but also enhancing skills and services across the city. Under the guidance of our visionary leadership, we are dedicated to further elevating the experience in Dubai for all residents and visitors, with accessibility as a core priority. As we continue to innovate and expand our offerings, we remain focused on making Dubai the best city to visit, live and work in—for everyone.”

What Is A 'Certified Autism Destination'?

Becoming a Certified Autism Destination (CAD) hopes to ensure autistic and sensory-sensitive visitors feel welcomed and safe. With this tag, it implies that the destination's tourism, hospitality, and entertainment organisations have completed autism and sensory sensitivity, and awareness training. This also includes a dedication to serve autistic and sensory-sensitive individuals, onsite audits with key partners, and a commitment to ongoing support and training.

What Makes Dubai A 'Certified Autism Destination'

At the heart of this achievement is the “Dubai Way” online training platform developed by the Dubai College of Tourism (DCT) to empower staff with the skills and knowledge to provide a more inclusive experience for “people of determination” (those with special needs or disabilities). The DCT has also continued to offer its “Inclusive Service” programme—a self-paced course that can be followed on the online “Dubai Way” platform. It teaches applicants how best to cater and communicate with “people of determination,” with the training modules featuring real-life stories, interactive sessions and videos to foster empathy and understanding.

This achievement aligns with key priorities of the Dubai Economic Agenda D33 by championing talent development, social inclusion and quality of life. It also coincides with the UAE Year of Community, which includes the goal of creating inclusive spaces that encourage collaboration, a sense of belonging and shared experiences.

Myron Pincomb, the IBCCES Board Chairman and CEO, said, “Dubai is raising the bar for accessible tourism, and IBCCES is honoured to support this initiative. This achievement represents a significant step in ensuring that all visitors, including autistic people and individuals with sensory needs, can explore and experience everything Dubai has to offer with confidence and ease.”

Process Of Becoming A 'Certified Autism Destination'

In just over two years, Dubai has achieved the following milestones:

• More than 70,000 individuals have received autism and sensory awareness training.

• More than 300 hotels are involved in the training and certification process, ensuring comfortable and inclusive stays for guests with autism and sensory sensitivities.

• More than 15 attractions have earned IBCCES certifications in addition to beaches and parks.

One of the places which has successfully completed an expansion of its hidden disability and autism-inclusive training programme is Dubai International Airport (DXB). In December 2023, it was recognised as the first international airport to earn the “Certified Autism Center” designation. The initiative equipped 45,000 employees across the wider airport community, including partners and stakeholders, with the skills to better support hidden disabilities, including autistic and sensory-sensitive travellers navigating both Dubai International and Dubai World Central – Al Maktoum International (DWC).

Paul Griffiths, the CEO of Dubai Airports, said, “At Dubai Airports, we are proud to support Dubai’s journey towards becoming a 'Certified Autism Destination.' As the first and last impression of the city for millions of travellers, we embrace our responsibility to create a welcoming, accessible and inclusive environment for all. This milestone reflects our unwavering commitment to ensuring that every guest, regardless of their needs, enjoys a seamless and supportive travel experience at DXB. Through our oneDXB community, we continue to work closely with our stakeholders across the airports to enhance accessibility, provide specialised training for frontline teams, and design environments that are supportive of 'people of determination,' including those with hidden disabilities such as autism.”

For several years, Emirates airline has been on a journey to become the world’s first “Autism Certified Airline.” It has received certifications for its check-in areas and trained more than 30,000 on-ground staff and cabin crew to support autistic customers in various ways.

Adel Al Redha, the Deputy President and Chief Operations Officer at Emirates, said: “Emirates has been driving progress in accessible travel for several years, in a mission to make the travel experience more inclusive. In April 2024, Emirates received 'Certified Autism Center' designations for our Dubai check-in facilities, including at our dedicated hub in Terminal 3 at Dubai International Airport. A year later, we are the world’s first 'Autism Certified Airline'—with more than 30,000 cabin crew and airport staff trained to support customers with autism. These significant achievements help build a strong foundation for Dubai to be celebrated as the first 'Certified Autism Destination' in the eastern hemisphere—giving travellers confidence that their journey to and from our iconic city will be supported.”

To further support inclusivity efforts, all certified locations in Dubai are being featured on the IBCCES Accessibility App, which is free to download. This app gives travellers real-time guidance on certified destinations, sensory-friendly spaces and tailored recommendations.

 (With inputs from a press release)