The UAE Federal Tax Authority (FTA) and Planet launched an AI-powered tourist VAT refund platform on 20 October 2026 — described by the FTA as the first of its kind worldwide. Refund time is down from around nine days to one business day. Launch events were held at Zayed International Airport (Abu Dhabi) and Dubai International Airport (DXB); the platform is also operational at Sharjah International Airport.
What the FTA has launched
According to the FTA press release, the new platform is part of the FTA's long-term digital government services agenda and the UAE National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence. It was developed by the FTA with Planet, the authorised operator of the UAE Tourist VAT Refund Scheme.
FTA Director General Abdulaziz Mohammed Al Mulla said: "The introduction of this new AI-powered platform marks a significant advancement in the tourist tax refund journey." The launch was attended by Lt. Gen. Mohammed Ahmed Al Marri (Director General, GDRFA Dubai), Sultan Al Dhaheri (Senior Vice President, Operations, Abu Dhabi Airports) and Majed Al Joker (Chief Operating Officer, Dubai Airports).
How it works for the tourist
The journey is 100% paperless. In the Planet app, the tourist registers by scanning their face and saves images of their passport and bank card. At the airport, they scan a dynamic QR code on the refund service point screen. From there, two paths are possible:
• If automatic matching of invoice and travel data clears, the refund is paid out to the chosen method with no in-person check.
• If inspection is required, the app routes the tourist through a facial-recognition smart gate to a self-service kiosk.
The AI layer also routes tourists by transaction type, flags unusual patterns to support compliance, and runs a multilingual interface assigned by nationality.
Programme numbers
According to the FTA, since the scheme launched in 2018 it has processed about 25 million transactions and refunded roughly AED 4.2 billion (≈ USD 1.14 billion) to tourists. In 2025 alone, refund value grew 8% and transaction volume grew 5% year-on-year. Tourist satisfaction stood at 93% in the first nine months of 2026, up from 92% in the same period of 2025.
For the window from November 2026 to October 2027, the FTA forecasts around 4 million transactions and roughly AED 692 million in refunds. The network already runs 98 self-service kiosks that handle 22.4% of scheme transactions.
What it means for UAE retail
Around 16,700 retail outlets are registered and electronically connected to the scheme. 1,326 joined in 2025; another 769 came onboard in the first nine months of 2026 — so the network has grown materially this year, and the pace is holding.
For retailers in the Emirates the signal is direct: joining Planet's registered network cuts cashier workload, speeds up tourist checkouts and strengthens loyalty. The entry condition is correct registration under UAE VAT 5% for entrepreneurs: when to register and when it pays off and compliance with e-invoicing rules. Newcomers planning a market entry can budget scheme integration costs as part of a wider UAE company setup cost sheet for 2026.
Where it is already live
The platform is operational at three airports — Zayed International (Abu Dhabi), Dubai International (DXB) and Sharjah International. The FTA release does not publish a rollout timetable for sea and land ports but frames the move as part of a longer-term digitalisation of tax services.
What's next
For businesses that routinely refund tourists — hotels, duty-free, premium retail, car rental — the near-term question is calibrating internal workflows to the one-day refund. A fiscal "refund in one day" button starts to work as a marketing argument alongside visas and infrastructure to attract travellers from Asia and Europe.
