DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) – Dubai is saying goodbye to the long-standing requirement that restaurants be covered with curtains during the day during Ramadan to protect the sight of food from fasting.
The move, announced Sunday by the city-state’s economic development department, is the latest change aimed at boosting tourism in the autocratically ruled Muslim nation.
“Restaurants are allowed to serve customers without installing curtains, partitions or facades, as was previously required,” said the state-run WAM news agency. “The new circular replaces circulars issued in previous years requiring restaurants to block dining areas for people who are fasting.”
The new rules also do not require restaurants to receive special permits to serve food even during sunlight hours.
During Ramadan, Muslims who observe the holy month abstain from food and drink during the day, even water. Traditionally, Muslims break the daytime fast of Ramadan with their first sips of water and their evening meal called iftar.
Of the Arab Gulf states, where large, non-Muslim emigrants live, most require curtains to block the sight of fasting food. Eating and drinking in public can also bring fines and legal trouble.
One of the seven sheikhdoms in the United Arab Emirates, Dubai has long been a tourist destination for those who want to beach, shop and party in this skyscraper-studded city. However, Ramadan always represented a slower period due to the restrictions.
In recent years, hoping to boost tourism as Ramadan will be marked during the crucial winter months, Dubai has begun to change. In 2016, Dubai relaxed the rules banning the sale of alcohol during the day.