KEY TAKEAWAYS
  • Emaar Hospitality Group unveiled two Snapchat AR Lenses for Address and Vida on 3 November 2025. 
  • Address Lens leans elegant; Vida Lens is more playful and shareable. 
  • The activations target pre-stay inspiration and post-stay social amplification. 
  • EHG cites the UAE’s high internet use and strong Snapchat base as context. 
  • Snap says the partnership showcases how AR can extend hospitality beyond the stay. 

Emaar Hospitality Group has announced two custom Snapchat AR Lenses for its flagship brands, Address Hotels + Resorts and Vida Hotels and Resorts. The idea is simple: use AR to let people feel each brand’s personality on their phones, then carry that feeling into a stay in Dubai. The move fits a market where mobile use is high and Snapchat is part of daily life, so the timing makes sense. 

What’s new and when?

EHG unveiled two brand-aligned Snapchat Lenses on 3 November 2025. One is built for Address Hotels + Resorts, the other for Vida Hotels and Resorts. Both are designed to capture each brand’s look and mood.

  • Two Lenses: one for Address, one for Vida
  • Announced: 3 November 2025, Dubai
  • Aim: connect digital play with real stays

The Lenses are meant to act as a bridge between scrolling and booking. By previewing ambience and style in AR, EHG wants to make those first brand impressions more tangible and memorable before a guest ever steps into the lobby. 

Why this matters in the UAE

The UAE is a mobile-first market, with near-universal internet use and a large Snapchat audience. That creates fertile ground for AR content that people will actually try and share.

  • Internet penetration is around 99%
  • Snapchat users are about 5.09 million, roughly 45% of the population
  • Strong smartphone use and social activity support AR adoption

This is the exact environment where branded Lenses can do real work: quick to try, easy to share, and native to how people already communicate. For a broader regional context on Snap’s recent moves and audience habits, see our coverage of Snap opening a Doha office and Snapchat audience behaviour in Qatar on Tbreak.

How the two Lenses differ

Each Lens mirrors its brand’s DNA. Address keeps it polished. Vida keeps it lively. The contrast is deliberate, so the experience in camera hints at the stay you’ll get in real life.

  • Address: elegant, refined, premium urban luxury
  • Vida: vibrant, creative, social and playful
  • Both: made to be shared and to spark travel intent

The Address aims to communicate calm, modern luxury through a pared-back AR treatment that feels upscale. Vida leans into colour, energy and shareable moments to match a younger, social audience. Either way, the Lens becomes a low-friction way to start a brand relationship before check-in. 

Who Emaar wants to reach

The two brands speak to different core audiences, and the AR follows suit.

  • Address: premium travellers, business guests, GCC visitors looking for refined city stays
  • Vida: younger, creative, socially active travellers focused on design and community
  • Goal: meet each group where they already spend time, then move them towards a stay

By mapping Lens tone to traveller mindset, EHG aims to raise awareness and affinity among the right segments without forcing a single message on everyone. The Lenses are framed as both pre-stay inspiration and post-stay social amplifiers to keep the brand in circulation after checkout. 

Strategy and what’s next

EHG positions these Lenses as more than a one-off campaign. They are part of a longer digital roadmap that uses tech to link discovery, stay and storytelling. Snap echoes that view, saying AR can extend hospitality beyond the hotel walls through interactive content.

  • Use case: from pre-booking exploration to after-stay sharing
  • Fit: aligns with EHG’s past digital efforts like virtual tours and apps
  • Direction: more personalised, memorable brand interactions

EHG’s digital marketing lead says luxury and lifestyle now include how a brand engages online, not just what the lobby looks like. Snap’s regional team calls the project a strong example of interactive storytelling for hospitality.

It’s a signal that AR is moving from novelty to a standard tool in the brand kit. For readers watching data plans, here’s a practical guide if you worry about AR chewing through mobile data: apps that drain your data.


FAQs

What exactly did Emaar Hospitality launch?

Two Snapchat AR Lenses aligned to Address Hotels + Resorts and Vida Hotels and Resorts, announced on 3 November 2025 in Dubai. 

Are the Lenses designed the same way?

No. Address is elegant and serene to reflect premium urban luxury. Vida is more vibrant and playful to match its lifestyle positioning. 

What are these Lenses for in the guest journey?

They work as pre-stay inspiration tools and post-stay social amplifiers, extending visibility across digital touchpoints. 

Why use Snapchat for this?

Because the UAE has near-total internet use and a large, active Snapchat base, making AR a natural channel for discovery and sharing. 

How do these AR efforts fit EHG’s strategy?

They support a digital transformation agenda focused on innovation, personalisation and memorable brand experiences across Address and Vida.