The Sharjah Tourism Authority has introduced a regulatory framework for residents who wish to rent out their accommodation as holiday homes.
As part of the Sharjah Holiday Homes Project, homeowners must register with the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) and obtain a license to allow their homes to be used “rotationally and regularly”.
Government estimates put operational holiday homes in the northern emirate at about 300.
The project officially recognizes short-term, hotel-like leases as a source of income for Sharjah residents, offering them guidance on the operating requirements, classification criteria, violations, and other mechanisms, according to a statement on Wam.
“It will further strengthen cooperation between the Authority and the providers of holiday homes by developing a system of legislation and regulations. This will contribute to diversifying the sources of growth for the hospitality sector,” SCTDA’s chairman Khalid Jasim Al Midfa said.
Only 150 villas will be registered and licensed in the first year of the project. The homeowner will be given three months to complete the documentation process. The tourism board said it is working with 15 operators involved in the process.