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Tourism License in Dubai

Dubai, the well-known tourism hotspot, has attracted 8.1 million tourist in the first half of 2018, as per the reports from the UAE tourism department. This staggering number, a record-high, shows Dubai’s strong stand in aspiring to become one of the most visited cities in the world, thus increasing the demand of Tourism license in Dubai.

Currently, Dubai has placed itself among one of the most visited cities in the world. According to recent report of 2018, Dubai is the world’s 4th most visited city with more than 16 million international tourists. Dubai lack naturally beautiful places as it is a desert but it achieved this status due to visionary leadership that converted this barren desert in one of the world’s most beautiful and modern cities. High rise buildings, beautiful parks, artificial islands are few of several attractions that lure visitors from different parts of globe every year.

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But tourists are not only visiting Dubai for entertainment, but medical tourism and Halal tourism in UAE and Dubai are also playing their part for attracting millions of tourists in Dubai annually. Several people also visit Dubai for better job and business opportunities as well. All these things ensure that Dubai will remain one of the best cities in the world from tourism point of view in future also. This highlights the prospects of businesses directly related to travel and tourism sector in Dubai.

In order to start a travel and tourism business in Dubai, one has to acquire tourism license for this purpose. According to the activity of tourism business, there are three types of tourism licenses available in Dubai. These include,

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  • Tourism license for outbound tour operator

  • Tourism license for inbound tour operator

  • Tourism license for a travel agent

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Tourism license for outbound tour operator

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This type of license allows a company to organize outbound trips. This visa is helpful for businesses to work inside as well as outside the country in travel and tourism. Outbound tour operators primarily assist people visiting to other countries from UAE.

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Tourism license for inbound tour operator

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This is an opposite type of license of the above one. This license allows license-holders to organize inbound tourist trips for visitors. This license also allows the operator to organize global conferences and exhibitions.

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Tourism license for travel agents

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This type of license is for service agents who can open agency. Holders of this license can sell air tickets outside the country and also provide visit visa to customers.

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Procedure

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The authority that approves tourism and travel license in Dubai is the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM). Following are important documents that have to be submitted for approval of travel and tourism license.

  • Duly filled application form

  • Passport copy of the applicant

  • Clean criminal record certificate of company’s owner and manager

  • Studies for feasibility of the project

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New incentives by government

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In order to make the license approval process simpler for companies, DTCM has announced new incentives recently.

  • Previously, bank guarantee of AED 100,000 to AED 200,000 was required for all licenses (inbound tour operator, outbound tour operator and travel agent). This condition is not applicable now anymore. This will surely reduce the cost of tourism license markedly.

  • The minimum space required was 300 sq ft. This is also not needed now.

  • Another former mandatory requirement was the inclusion of documents like educational certificates and experience letter of company’s manager. These documents are not further required.

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All these positive changes will make the whole licensing process of tourism business simpler, quicker and low of cost. In order to make it further easier, you only have to contact Fardan Al Fardan. We are experienced in handling all types of matters related to business setup in Dubai and UAE. We have several satisfied clients having tourism and travel licenses and running their businesses successfully in Dubai and other parts of UAE. 

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