Soon, check-in at Abu Dhabi hotels using your face

Abu Dhabi hotels will soon use facial recognition tech to offer guests a seamless experience while adhering to strict privacy guidelines. 

Unveiled at the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2025, the Face Recognition System is in its pilot phase. 

It will be rolled out across five-star hotels across Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, and Al Dhafra first before targetting four-star hotels in the second phase. It will gradually expand to all remaining hotel categories.

The agreement between Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) and the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs & Port Security (ICP), aligns with the UAE capital's push towards digitalisation of the hospitality sector to improve tourism services.

Saleh Mohamed Al Geziry, Director-General for Tourism at DCT Abu Dhabi, said it "underscores its commitment to pioneering advancements in smart tourism" to create "a safer and more connected journey for every visitor".

The facial recognition system will capture and analysis biometric data during guest check-in. The data will be securely encrypted and retrieved from ICP and later transmitted to a centralised database managed by DCT Abu Dhabi. It will be in accordance with UAE cybersecurity and data privacy regulations.

DCT Abu Dhabi said it will work with hotels to ensure a smooth rollout of the system, which includes detailed system briefings and the provision of technical and training support.