The wonderful climate of Dubai and access to supreme luxury make it a holiday paradise. The tourism industry has always been the UAE’s strong point and with the establishment of reliable travel agencies in the region, the numbers are bound to hit an all-time high.
If you’re planning to invest in this sector, now is the right time. The World-Expo 2020 is also around the corner and Dubai has ensured risk-free travel even during the times of the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, opening a travel agency in Dubai is the best foot forward.
How to start a travel agency business in Dubai?
Follow the steps mentioned below to successfully register your travel agency business in Dubai:
1. Finalize the business activities
There are several types of travel agencies that operate in the UAE. They have many common operations while a few differ as well. In which category does your venture land? Don’t worry. There’s a list of business activities already maintained by the authorities and all you need to do is select the ones that match your requirements. Take the help of business consultants in Dubai to make the entire process hassle-free and smooth.
2. Trade name reservation
Trade name reservation is a straightforward process that helps you assign the desired name to your company. Go through all the guidelines for keeping a trading name and devise a list of 3-4 names to be forwarded to the concerned authority. Don’t choose names that are derogatory, misleading, or insulting in any sense. Ensure to use the full name in case you’re using the name of a person as your official trading name.
3. Obtain the business license
You need the official business license pertaining to your business activities to open your travel agency in Dubai. You need to approach the DED to get this license or the respective free zones authorities in case of a free zone establishment. The license provided by the DED would allow you to carry out business activities in the Dubai mainland too. In case of additional approvals, get in touch with the DTCM (Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing).
4. Acquire the tourism company permit
Once you have the business license, it’s time to apply for the additional license to the DTCM. You need to choose from an inbound tour operator, outbound tour operator, and a travel agent. You can also select a combination of these permits as per your requirements. Documents like the NOC and other approvals alongside a non-criminal record are submitted.
5. Manage Visas and Open a Corporate Bank Account
Once you have all the necessary licenses and approvals, you can apply for employee visas and obtain visas for your family and domestic staff too. Finally, you need to open a corporate bank account after thoroughly going through their monetary policies. That’s it. You’re ready to run your full-fledged travel agency business in Dubai.
Things to consider before launching a travel agency business in Dubai
You can start a travel agency business as either a Limited Liability Company (LLC) or under the sole proprietorship structure. If you register your travel agency business as an LLC, the requirements would be more rigid and precise. On the other hand, in the case of a sole proprietorship, the individual should become a certified travel agent.
It’s important to critically analyze both the options and pick the one that’s more convenient as per your business requirements. After deciding the business type, you need to consider other significant aspects before taking any further decision. They include:
- Ensuring that you have enough funds to start a travel agency business.
- Choosing the right type of travel agency business.
- Looking for a genuine and reliable local agent to guide you through the registration process.
Benefits of forming a travel agency company in Dubai
Now that you know the steps you need to follow to open your travel agency in Dubai, have a look at the advantages of running a travel agency in the UAE. Some of them include:
1. Everyone’s aware of Dubai’s stature and performance in the tourism industry. Dubai is a favorable destination for people who are fond of beaches, architectural structures alongside technological wonders. People from around the world like to travel to Dubai. Therefore, the travel agencies in the UAE have the advantage of an already booming market. Apart from this, local residents of Dubai are always keen to explore the globe. So, any travel agency in Dubai is bound to taste exponential success.
2. Any foreign citizen who lives in Dubai on a residence permit is eligible to apply for a travel agency license in Dubai. It shows the easy and straightforward process established by the government to encourage investors to start their travel agency business in Dubai.
3. Once you get a travel agency license in Dubai, you can organize various types of events under MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions). The MICE industry in Dubai is rapidly evolving, thereby opening the doors for better opportunities for the foreign investors.
Roles and activities of a travel agent in Dubai
An organization can conduct inbound and outbound tour operation tasks. They have the allowance to manage events and tours within and outside the UAE. The travel agent is allowed to manage visa processes for tourists. Every travel agency should have insurance policies that protect all their operations for the period of the license.
The travel company manager is expected to have at least 3 years of expertise and must also receive approval from the Dubai Police Department. Apart from these, the following are the roles which the travel agent will perform:
- The travel agent will take care of flight tickets
- Assist the clients in acquiring the travel visas
- Manage the accommodation facilities
- Look after transport service and tour guide service whenever needed/requested
Requirements to start a travel agency business in Dubai
If the manager of a travel agency has a certificate or a university diploma in travel and tourism, then he should possess a minimum experience of 3 years in the field. An experience of a minimum of 5 years is required if the diploma is from a high school only. To acquire a travel agency license, the applicant must fulfill the following requirements:
- Pay an initial approval fee
- Ask for the availability of the agency’s trade name
- Provide an insurance policy
- Submit the blueprint of the location where you will operate the business along with the lease contract
What are the required documents?
You need to submit all the required documents to legitimize your travel agency in Dubai. Here’s a summarized list of documents that you must have and submit:
- Duly filled application form
- Passport copies of the applicants and the manager
- Copy of identification documents for the UAE nationals and a family record called the Khulasat Al Qaid
- A notarized copy of the manager’s certificate of experience
- Certificates of good conduct of the owner and the manager
- NOC issued by the Civil Aviation Authority
Consult with Shuraa
You’ll need the help of company formation professionals to get started with your travel agency business in Dubai. At Shuraa Business Setup, we’ll help you with the same at very nominal costs. Consult with the business experts at Shuraa to understand the dynamics of Dubai’s marketplace and open your dream company in the UAE. You also get end-to-end support from business ideation to the final paperwork. Let’s connect and take things forward.
To get in touch with our experts, call us at +971 44081900 or send a WhatsApp message on +971 50 777 5554. For email assistance, you can write to us at info@Shuraa.com.
