The UAE is first in the world to extend VAT refunds to marketplace purchases
Tax refunds on online purchases had not worked anywhere. Individually each such measure changes little; together they decide occupancy in short-let apartments.
Tax refunds on purchases made in an online store had not worked anywhere until now — the Emirates did it first. For the moment the scheme covers goods on one large local platform marked as participating; the authorities promise to connect the rest over time.
How it works
- The item must be marked as participating in the programme.
- The buyer receives an electronic receipt.
- At the airport before departure the order is confirmed at a kiosk or an operator's desk.
- The tax refund is then processed.
Why this relates to property
Indirectly but concretely. Tourist flow is one of two sources of short-let demand in Dubai, the other being business travel. Everything that makes a trip easier and cheaper works for that flow: visa-free entry, the speed of the airport, connectivity, tax refunds.
Individually each measure changes little. Together they form what the emirate is building the system for: a reputation as a destination that is simple and pleasant to visit. That is ultimately what determines occupancy in apartments let by the night.
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A detail for owners
Worth remembering that short-letting in Dubai is itself subject to taxes and charges: VAT on accommodation services, a tourism fee and municipal payments. A short-let yield calculated without those items is inevitably overstated.
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