Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism and Google Launch "Map Your Dubai" Initiative to Support Local Culinary Gems

DUBAI, UAE – June 9, 2026 – The Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) and Google announced today the launch of Map Your Dubai: Insider Edition, an initiative to support the local F&B sector. Local guides, a global community of volunteers who write reviews on Google Maps, will be sharing their favorite lists of restaurants and cafes, followed by public voting to drive more visits and growth to local businesses.

The initiative was launched during an exclusive Breakfast Club experience at the historic Etihad Museum, attended by Ahmad Al Room Almheiri, CEO of the Mohammed bin Rashid Establishment for Small and Medium Enterprises Development (Dubai SME), part of DET, and other senior officials, homegrown culinary entrepreneurs, and influential content creators from the regional food community.

Developed as part of From Dubai, For Dubai, DET’s community-led movement to support the people, businesses, and ideas that shape everyday life in the city, Map Your Dubai encourages residents, visitors, creators, and digital communities to discover and recommend Dubai-based businesses. By bringing existing initiatives and acts of support under one shared narrative, the campaign invites people to choose local, share the stories behind the businesses they love, and contribute to a more connected local economy.

The Map Your Dubai initiative empowers Dubai's passionate Local Guide community to build highly curated, thematic lists directly on Google Maps, spotlighting the city’s best-kept culinary secrets and neighbourhood hidden gems. The Local Guides are active users on Google Maps who shape the platform by leaving reviews, uploading photos, answering questions, and editing location details.

Starting today, the public will be invited to explore the 11  insider-curated lists consolidated on the official campaign portal (MapYourDubai,com), exploring and visiting them directly through their personal Google Maps accounts, and casting their votes for their favorite culinary lists. Voting will open on June 22, 2026 and will remain open until July 6, 2026, with the winning Local Guides celebrated across official social channels.

Commenting on this initiative, Anthony Nakache, Managing Director at Google MENA said: "Map Your Dubai: Insider Edition empowers Google Local Guides to transform their authentic city knowledge into a powerful community movement. We are driven to enable, support small and homegrown F&B businesses by equipping them with tools they need to stay competitive and reach new audiences. We are deeply committed alongside Dubai Department Economy and Tourism to support the region's F&B business sector.”

Ahmad Al Room Almheiri, CEO of Dubai SME, said: “The Map Your Dubai initiative reflects what makes Dubai distinctive: a city shaped by the diversity of its people, cultures, businesses, and experiences, and strengthened by the partnerships that bring them together. Through From Dubai, For Dubai, and in collaboration with Google, we are building on Dubai’s long-standing approach to community-led storytelling, from #MyDubai to MyDubai Communities, where residents, creators, and visitors play an active role in shaping the narrative of the city. This initiative also builds on previous collaborations with Google to highlight Dubai’s offering through digital discovery and community participation. It is a strong example of how public-private collaboration, digital platforms, and local voices can translate discovery into real economic value for Dubai-based businesses. By increasing visibility for local F&B concepts and homegrown brands, Map Your Dubai reinforces Dubai’s position as a global gastronomy hub and the best city to visit, live, and work in, while supporting long-term resilience and sustainable growth aligned with the Dubai Economic Agenda, D33.”

The curated lists will feature almost 100+ homegrown restaurants, cafés, and neighbourhood dining concepts across Dubai, giving residents and visitors a simple way to discover new venues and support local businesses directly through Google Maps. Additional campaign content and Local Guide highlights will be shared across official channels throughout the voting period.