Travel & Tourism Agency in the UAE

Key points

Among the strengths of a the UAE mainland licence are unrestricted UAE-wide trading and Government and corporate tenders, so local service businesses gravitate here. the UAE mainland licences are issued by the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), which currently processes most standard files in around 4 working days. Businesses that benefit most from the UAE mainland licensing include retail, restaurants, contracting, real estate brokerage and consulting with government clients, because they serve customers on site across the emirate.

Step by step

1. 
   Step 1

   Activity and legal form

   GoldenKey maps your business to the right Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) activity codes and recommends the legal form that fits ownership and liability needs. If the authority raises a query on starting a travel agency in the UAE at this stage, we handle it the same day.

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. Expect clear updates from your GoldenKey consultant while this step runs for starting a travel agency in the UAE.

4. 
   Step 4

   Licence, Chamber and immigration

   With the licence in hand we register with the Chamber of Commerce and open the immigration and MOHRE files for your visas.

Documents required

Here is what you will need for starting a travel agency in the UAE; GoldenKey checks every item before submission.

• 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
• 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
• Attested parent-company documents and a board resolution if the shareholder is a company
• A short business plan or activity description for certain professional activities

Pricing

Put simply, use the table below to compare packages for starting a travel agency in the UAE; we will confirm the exact total for your case in a written quotation. Day to day, the figures below for starting a travel agency in the UAE are updated by GoldenKey whenever the authority changes its fees, so the price you see is the current one.

Where to license travel & tourism agency

Travel agencies need approval from the emirate's tourism department and a bank guarantee. Inbound tour operators in Dubai register with DET and must employ a licensed tour guide for guided activities.

Ajman Free ZoneOne of the UAE's most affordable free zones — 0-visa packa…RAKEZRAK's all-in-one economic zone — business, industrial and …Dubai mainlandThe UAE's commercial capital — trade anywhere in the UAE w…Sharjah mainlandIndustrial heartland of the UAE — manufacturing, trading a…Ajman mainlandGoldenKey's home emirate — one of the most affordable main…

Examples of this activity

• Inbound tour operator
• Outbound travel agency
• Visa and ticketing
• Destination management

Travel & Tourism Agency guides by nationality

IndianPakistaniBritishRussianChineseNigerianSaudiEgyptianKenyanGermanSingaporeanOmaniFrenchItalianSpanishPortugueseDutchBelgianSwissAustrianSwedishNorwegianDanishFinnishIcelandicIrishPolishCzechSlovakHungarianRomanianBulgarianGreekCroatianSerbianSlovenianUkrainianEstonianLatvianLithuanianAmericanCanadianAustralianNew ZealanderJapaneseSouth KoreanTurkishMalaysianIndonesianThaiVietnameseFilipinoBangladeshiSouth AfricanEmiratiQatari

Why the UAE

Residence visas for owners and families come with the company, which makes starting a travel agency in the UAE a route to relocation as well as a business decision. From day one, there are no restrictions on repatriating profits or capital, so earnings from starting a travel agency in the UAE can be moved to your home country or reinvested freely.

Why GoldenKey

GoldenKey's consultants have handled starting a travel agency in the UAE for traders, consultants, tech founders and family offices, which gives us a realistic view of what each authority approves quickly. As a rule, we speak the languages our clients speak, including English, Arabic, Hindi, Urdu and Malayalam, and we can arrange Russian, French and Mandarin support for starting a travel agency in the UAE. We will tell you plainly if the UAE is not the right choice for your plan and point you to a better option, even when that option costs less.

Frequently asked questions