Starting a travel and tourism business in Dubai is one of the most profitable business sectors in the United Arab Emirates. Dubai is one of the most popular travel destinations in the world, with millions of visitors flocking to its beaches, shopping malls, and exquisite hotels for business activities and holidays. Business in the travel and tourism sector is booming. If you’re dreaming of being an entrepreneur, this is an exciting opportunity.
In this article, we’ll cover:
- Advantages of starting a tourism company in Dubai, UAE
- Steps to start a tourism company in Dubai, UAE
- Cost of a tourism license in Dubai, UAE
- How to get a tourism license from DTCM
- Working with Trade License Zone
Advantages of starting a tourism company in Dubai, UAE
The United Arab Emirates’ tourism sector grows at exponential numbers each year. Apart from fantastic weather, picturesque beaches, excellent shopping malls, and outstanding hotels, the travel and tourism sector shows steady returns for investors and entrepreneurs.
Dubai’s population comprises over 90% foreign national residents, an incentive-based business climate for investors and entrepreneurs, easy company setup processes, and streamlined visa application systems.
As an entrepreneur wishing to start a tourism company in Dubai, you can choose from various tourism activities (or all of them) for your business. All businesses in the United Arab Emirates must obtain a trade license to operate legally. The trade license regulates the activities and industry to help foster the sustained growth of Dubai’s economy.
The tourism license enables a company to perform the following commercial activities:
- Provision of tourism packages
- Provision of travel insurance
- Accommodation services
- Vehicle rental services
- Flights and rail tickets
We are experts at Trade License Zone and can help you navigate the company formation process with speed, efficiency, and professionalism.
Steps to start a tourism company in Dubai, UAE
Before starting your tourism company in Dubai, you’ll need to take these five steps.
Step #1: Partner with Trade License Zone
The first step in starting a tourism company in Dubai is to partner with Trade License Zone. Our professional team will manage all aspects of your company registration, trade license application, and setup process to guide you on all the documentation required for the various government authorities’ procedures and obtain external approvals on your behalf.
Step #2: Choose a business jurisdiction
There are two main business jurisdictions in the United Arab Emirates: Free Zones and Mainland Companies. Choosing either of these business types will affect how you operate your business. A Mainland Company means you can trade within the United Arab Emirates, and you’ll need to sign with a local partner who is an Emirati national. The local partner will own 51% of the company’s shares while you’ll hold 49%.
A Free Zone company means you’ll not pay personal or income tax, you’ll be able to repatriate your profits and wholly own your company, but will not be able to trade within the UAE market. To trade within the UAE market, you’ll need to take extra steps, such as opening a branch or a distributor.
If you’re unsure of the best business jurisdiction for your company’s future, contact Trade License Zone to help you make the right decision. Our highly-experienced team can assist you in this crucial step.
Step #3: Choose business activity
As we’ve mentioned, a wide variety of business activities are available within the travel and tourism sector. You must choose the suitable business activities for your type of tourism license. To ensure you select the correct business activities for your license type, seek the expert help of Trade License Zone.
Step #4: Choose a company name
Trade License Zone will help you choose and register your tourism company’s business name with the UAE’s Registry Office. You can use your name in the company’s trade name, but you must use it in full instead of just your surname or initials. The business name must adhere to the UAE’s naming policies, including that it cannot include offensive or profane language or references to Allah or Islam.
Step #5: Open your corporate bank account and apply for a visa
After applying for your tourism company’s trade license in Dubai to start your travel and tourism sector business, you can apply for your visa and open your corporate bank account. Your visa may enable you to sponsor the visas of family and staff, depending on your license’s conditions. Contact Trade License Zone’s expert team to help you with this critical step.
Cost of a tourism license in Dubai, UAE
The cost of a tourism license in Dubai starts from AED 20,000. The cost depends on many factors, such as office space, tourism license type, additional requirements from the UAE Goverment Department of Economic Development, extra visa fees, other professional services, and local sponsor requirements. For an accurate quote, please get in touch with our consultants for a free quote.
How to get a tourism license from DTCM
All business owners in Dubai must apply for trade licenses to operate legally. To get a tourism license, you must apply with Dubai’s Department of Economic Development (DED) and Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) for your specific tourism trade license.
There are three tourism license types to choose from:
- Outbound Tour Operator: allows you to organize trips out of the country
- Inbound Tour Operator: enables you to organize trips for visitors in the country
- Travel Agency: allows you to sell tours, flights, and accommodation
Documents required for a tourism license application include:
- Completed application form
- Copy of your passport (and any shareholders/directors of the company)
- Business plan
- Police Clearance Certificate
- Certificate of Work Qualification
- No Objection Letter issued by the UAE’s Civil Aviation Authority
- Tenancy contract for office space
- Registration approval from the Dubai Chamber of Business
- Business insurance policy
Contact Trade License Zone’s expert team to help you with this critical step.
Working with Trade License Zone
Business setup in the UAE is straightforward when you partner with a team of experts, such as Trade License Zone. Starting a business in Dubai, such as a travel and tourism company, can be tricky when it comes to applying for a trade license, business setup, and more. When you partner with Trade License Zone, we will save you from unnecessary delays or rejections and streamline the entire process.
The specialists at Trade License Zone can get started once you provide us with some basic documentation and a little information about the nature of your company and business activities. Then, please sit back and let our team take care of the rest. We’ll manage your professional trading license and visa applications, communicate with all relevant local departments and authorities and report when you’re ready to trade. It really is that simple.