Tourism & Hospitality in the UAE

Key points

Businesses that benefit most from the UAE mainland licensing include retail, restaurants, contracting, real estate brokerage and consulting with government customers, because they serve customers on site across the emirate. Day to day, popular districts for a the UAE mainland office include Business Bay, Deira, Bur Dubai, Jumeirah Lakes Towers and Al Quoz, each with different rent levels and customer footfall. Among the strengths of a the UAE mainland licence are unrestricted UAE-wide trading and Government and corporate tenders, which is why local service businesses gravitate here.

Step by step

1. 
   Step 1

   Activity and legal form

   We select the correct activity codes from the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) list and the legal form, usually a LLC or a sole establishment. Nothing is submitted for starting a hospitality business in the UAE until you have reviewed and approved it.

2. 
   Step 2

   Trade name and initial approval

   GoldenKey files the name reservation and initial-approval request with the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) and obtains sector approvals where needed.

3. 
   Step 3

   Office, MOA and submission

   You sign the memorandum of association before the notary or online, we register your tenancy contract and submit the full file. We keep a written record of this step so your file for starting a hospitality business in the UAE is audit-ready.

4. 
   Step 4

   Licence, Chamber and immigration

   Your the UAE mainland licence is issued, Chamber membership is activated and we open the establishment and labour files so visas can begin.

Documents required

For starting a hospitality business in the UAE the authority asks for the following documents, and we tell you exactly how each must be formatted.

• A clear passport copy for each shareholder and manager, valid for at least six months
• Proof of address such as a utility bill or bank statement, requested by some zones
• Unit ownership or landlord NOC for holiday homes
• A no-objection certificate from your employer if you hold a UAE employment visa
• Your current UAE residence visa and Emirates ID copy if you are a UAE resident
• The UAE entry stamp or visa page if you are already in the country

Pricing

Importantly, the figures below for starting a hospitality business in the UAE are updated by GoldenKey whenever the authority changes its fees, so the price you see is the current one. Use the table below to compare packages for starting a hospitality business in the UAE; we will confirm the exact total for your case in a written quotation.

Where to license tourism & hospitality

Holiday homes in Dubai are licensed through DET and need each unit registered. Desert safaris, yacht charters and water sports have operator permits and safety requirements from the relevant authority.

Ajman Free ZoneOne of the UAE's most affordable free zones — 0-visa packa…Dubai mainlandThe UAE's commercial capital — trade anywhere in the UAE w…Ras Al Khaimah mainlandThe emirate of industry and tourism — low costs, strong ma…Ajman mainlandGoldenKey's home emirate — one of the most affordable main…Sharjah mainlandIndustrial heartland of the UAE — manufacturing, trading a…

Examples of this activity

• Holiday homes
• Desert safari operator
• Yacht charter
• Hotel management

Tourism & Hospitality guides by nationality

IndianPakistaniBritishRussianChineseNigerianSaudiEgyptianKenyanGermanSingaporeanOmaniFrenchItalianSpanishPortugueseDutchBelgianSwissAustrianSwedishNorwegianDanishFinnishIcelandicIrishPolishCzechSlovakHungarianRomanianBulgarianGreekCroatianSerbianSlovenianUkrainianEstonianLatvianLithuanianAmericanCanadianAustralianNew ZealanderJapaneseSouth KoreanTurkishMalaysianIndonesianThaiVietnameseFilipinoBangladeshiSouth AfricanEmiratiQatari

Why the UAE

The UAE's reputation as a trading hub means international clients and suppliers already trust a UAE licence, which shortens sales cycles for starting a hospitality business in the UAE. As we tell every client, banking, logistics, telecoms and digital government services in the UAE are among the most advanced in the region, which keeps the running costs of starting a hospitality business in the UAE predictable.

Why GoldenKey

GoldenKey is based in Ajman Free Zone and has helped business owners from more than 60 countries with starting a hospitality business in the UAE, so the paperwork, approvals and timing hold no surprises for us. GoldenKey builds its own CRM and client portal, so you can see the status of your the UAE application, download your documents and pay invoices from your phone. In short, every the UAE package we quote already includes the licence, registration, the establishment card where applicable and our full assistance, with no hidden add-ons at the end.

Frequently asked questions