Valentine's Day to stay dry despite holiday move

Valentine’s Day celebrations in Dubai will remain dry despite a decision by UAE authorities to move the public holiday of Milad Al Nabi to February 17, the emirate’s tourism body has said.

Hotels in the emirate were told in January that they would be barred from selling alcohol on Valentine’s Day, as it fell a day ahead of the Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) birthday.

The UAE on Tuesday, however, said a public holiday to mark the day would be moved from February 15 to Thursday the 17, to avoid falling between two working days.

All ministries, federal bodies and schools will be closed as a result.

The move will not, however, impact the alcohol ban on February 14, the Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing confirmed.

Valentine’s Day is traditionally a lucrative earner for hotels that capitalise on its commercial potential, however a number of outlets have said they will hold celebrations on February 13 to avoid the ban.

"We will adapt the Valentine's offer to serve only non-alcoholic drinks," a spokesperson for the state-backed Jumeirah Group, which counts the Burj Al Arab in its portfolio, said.