Dubai luxury hotels woo staycationers as tourists flee

Once reserved for wealthy travellers, Dubai's top-notch hotels have become almost exclusively reliant on residents, drawn in by dizzying staycation offers as war drives tourists away. The luxury hotel is packed with Dubai residents, who get special discounts of up to 50 percent. The clientele is driven by hotels offering residents-only deals that have become a lifeline for Dubai's luxury tourism.

Some hotels have temporarily closed for renovations as business slowed, while others have cut staff or salaries. The war, which was triggered by US-Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28, shattered the Gulf's image as a haven of stability, with Tehran directing its fury at the oil-rich region. Talks to end the war have dragged on for two months and sporadic strikes still punctuate life in the Gulf, straining tourism.