Holiday Swap, the vacation exchange platform with over 1 million monthly users, will base its global headquarters in Dubai Internet City, generating 500 jobs in two years, including 250 highly skilled roles.
This community-driven platform facilitates home swaps and direct rentals among travelers with minimal or no costs. Presently, it lists over 120,000 properties in 185 countries, including around 1,200 in the UAE. Its goal is to reach 400,000 listings by the end of 2023.
The company’s entry into the UAE is part of the NextGenFDI program by the Ministry of Economy, which supports global businesses in establishing and expanding their operations in the Emirates.
The NextGenFDI initiative recently welcomed nine new global companies, collectively expected to inject nearly $500 million into the local economy, enhancing advanced technology applications across sectors.
Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of State for Foreign Trade, stated, “Holiday Swap’s participation underscores the UAE’s position as an innovation hub and highlights the scale and sophistication of its travel and tourism sector, contributing over Dh167 billion to the GDP in 2022, a growth of more than 60 percent.”
James Asquith, founder and CEO of Holiday Swap, expressed, “Setting up our global HQ in Dubai Internet City allows us to tap into the UAE’s prominence in the travel industry. This collaboration accelerates our growth, creates jobs, and aligns with the UAE’s vision for technological advancement.”