Jan. 3 (UPI) -- Dubai has done away with a 30% alcohol tax during 2023 in an effort to bring more tourism.
The municipality in the United Arab Emirates will stop collecting the tax throughout 2023, CNBC, CNN and the New York Times reported.
"You can now: save 30% municipality tax on alcoholic beverages. We have reflected this across all our pricing," Dubai-based alcoholic beverage company Maritime and Mercantile International wrote on Facebook.
Personal liquor licenses, which are required to purchase alcohol in Dubai, no longer require a $73 fee and can now be obtained for free.
Dubai, one of five emirates in the United Arab Emirates, is the only emirate that requires licenses for personal liquor purchases. In Sharjah, alcohol is banned outright.
The United Arab Emirates is engaged in a diplomatic push to increase its status as an international hub for investment and travel. In 2020, the nation normalized relations with Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office confirmed on Monday that he is planning an official state trip to the United Arab Emirates.
