The Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) and Google have launched Map Your Dubai: Insider Edition, a new initiative aimed at supporting Dubai’s local food and beverage sector by encouraging community-driven discovery of restaurants and cafes across the city.
The initiative will see Google Local Guides, a global community of volunteers who contribute reviews and recommendations on Google Maps, create curated lists of their favourite dining destinations. The public will then be able to explore these lists and vote for their favourites, helping drive visibility and visits to local businesses.
The launch took place during a Breakfast Club event at the Etihad Museum, attended by Ahmad Almheiri, CEO of the Mohammed bin Rashid Establishment for Small and Medium Enterprises Development (Dubai SME), part of DET, along with senior officials, homegrown culinary entrepreneurs and content creators from the regional food community.
Map Your Dubai: Insider Edition has been developed as part of From Dubai, For Dubai, DET’s community-led movement designed to support the people, businesses and ideas that contribute to everyday life in the city.
The initiative encourages residents, visitors, creators and digital communities to discover, recommend and support Dubai-based businesses. By bringing together existing initiatives under a shared platform, the campaign aims to encourage people to choose local businesses, share their stories and contribute to a more connected local economy.
Through the programme, Dubai’s Local Guide community will create curated thematic lists on Google Maps, highlighting neighbourhood restaurants, cafes and lesser-known culinary destinations across the city.
Google Local Guides are active contributors on Google Maps who help improve the platform by posting reviews, uploading photos, answering questions and updating location information.
The public can access 11 insider-curated lists through the official campaign portal, MapYourDubai.com, explore the featured venues through their Google Maps accounts and vote for their preferred culinary lists.
Voting will open on June 22, 2026, and continue until July 6, 2026. The winning Local Guides will be recognised across official social media channels.
Commenting on the 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 the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism to support the region’s F&B business sector.”
Almheiri 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.”
