Abu Dhabi offers free stay extension amid Middle East conflict, Vijay Shekhar Sharma praises move
The advisory said that guests who cannot leave due to reasons beyond their control should be allowed to stay longer. Importantly, the cost of the extended stay will be paid by the department.
In the middle of rising tensions in the Middle East, Abu Dhabi’s tourism department has taken a step that many are calling thoughtful. According to a notice shared online by Samir Arora, founder of Helios Capital, the Department of Culture and Tourism, Abu Dhabi has asked hotels to allow guests to extend their stay if they are unable to travel after their check-out date.
The advisory said that guests who cannot leave due to reasons beyond their control should be allowed to stay longer. Importantly, the cost of the extended stay will be paid by the department. The notice, issued on 28 February, stated, “In light of the current circumstances and given that some guests have reached their check out date but are unable to travel for reasons beyond their control, you are kindly requested to extend their stay until they are able to depart. The cost of the extended stay will be covered by DCT Abu Dhabi.”
Vijay Shekhar Sharma calls it ‘perfect hospitality’
Reacting to the post, Paytm CEO Vijay Shekhar Sharma praised the move. He wrote, “Perfect मेहमान नवाज़ी! UAE’s handling of this chaos and crisis will go as a case study in books.” Samir Arora had earlier shared the notice with a simple caption: “wow.”
Many social media users also appreciated the effort of the Abu Dhabi tourism department. They said the move shows care for visitors during a difficult time.
Conflict escalates across the region
The advisory comes as tensions rise sharply in the Middle East. Reports say that several cities, including Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Manama, Doha, Riyadh, and Amman, heard loud explosions after a joint strike by the United States and Israel on Iran.
The UAE Ministry of Defence said the country was targeted by Iranian ballistic missiles. It added that air defence systems intercepted several of them. One civilian death was also reportedly recorded in Abu Dhabi. The conflict has widened after coordinated strikes by the United States Armed Forces and Israel on Iranian targets. Iranian state media claimed that the attacks killed senior leaders, including the country’s Supreme Leader.
Donald Trump says operation may continue
US President Donald Trump said the military action against Iran could continue for up to four weeks. The operation has been named Operation Epic Fury by the United States. In an interview with the British newspaper The Daily Mail, Trump said, “It’s always been a four-week process… It’s a big country. It’ll take four weeks or less.”
In a video message posted on social media, he said the US would continue combat operations until its objectives are achieved. He also warned that more casualties could happen before the conflict ends.