Dubai DET and Google launched a new initiative yesterday to boost the local food and beverage sector. Map Your Dubai: Insider Edition aims to drive growth for homegrown businesses through curated digital guides and public participation.
Community-Led Discovery
The program mobilizes Local Guides to build thematic lists of restaurants and cafes directly on Google Maps. These active users shape the platform by leaving reviews, uploading photos, and editing location details. Their work will spotlight the city’s culinary secrets and neighborhood hidden gems.
Residents can explore 11 insider-curated lists consolidated on the official campaign portal. Users must visit these locations through their personal Google Maps accounts to cast votes for their favorite culinary lists. Voting opens on June 22 and runs until July 6, with winning Local Guides celebrated across official social channels.
This initiative is part of "From Dubai, For Dubai," a movement to support the people and businesses shaping daily life in the city. It invites residents and visitors to choose local and share the stories behind the businesses they love. By bringing existing initiatives under one narrative, the campaign contributes to a more connected local economy.
The launch took place during an exclusive Breakfast Club experience at the historic Etihad Museum. The event gathered senior officials, homegrown culinary entrepreneurs, and regional content creators.
Map Your Dubai: Insider Edition empowers Google Local Guides to transform their authentic city knowledge into a powerful community movement.
— Anthony Nakache, Managing Director at Google MENA
Nakache said the partnership equips small businesses with tools to stay competitive and reach new audiences.
The Map Your Dubai initiative reflects what makes Dubai distinctive: a city shaped by the diversity of its people, cultures, businesses, and experiences.
— Ahmad Almheiri, CEO of Dubai SME
Almheiri serves as CEO of the Mohammed bin Rashid Establishment for Small and Medium Enterprises Development, part of DET. He noted the collaboration builds on previous efforts like #MyDubai, where residents play an active role in shaping the city's narrative.
