Tourists with special needs can avail of free public parking across Dubai for up to three months

Visitors with special needs or people of determination (PoD) can take advantage of free public parking for a maximum of three months, across Dubai. Additionally, they can get special permits that provide them with a 50% taxi discount.

PoD tourists can use public parking throughout Dubai for free, just like senior Emiratis and PoD residents do, according to Osama Al Safi, RTA director of Parking Department and head of Friendly Organisation for PoD, who was speaking at the 4th Accessible Travel and Tourism International Conference.

Free parking applications can be submitted in person at any RTA customer satisfaction centre or online using the RTA website or app. PoDs are no longer required to print and display the permits thanks to the RTA's digitization of free parking permit services, which began in August of last year. However, the free parking is only available for a maximum of three months per application and is only for visitors to the PoD.

According to Abdullah Ibrahim Al Meer, acting Chief Business Transformation Officer at DTC, PoD tourists may also take advantage of a 50% discount on taxi costs around Dubai. "Tourists from PoD simply need to apply for a Sanad card, which is a smart card issued by the Community Development Authority (CDA) for both tourists and residents of PoD," he said.