Key Highlights

1. Dubai recorded 19.59 million visitors in 2025, its third consecutive record-breaking year, per the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism.
2. A standard trade license does not cover tourism activities in Dubai. DET approval is a separate mandatory requirement, regardless of jurisdiction.
3. Desert camp operators must hold an active safari permit before they can apply for a camp permit. The sequence is mandatory, not flexible.
4. IFZA free zone licenses for tourism start from AED 14,900 with one Residence Visa free for life under the April 2026 promotion.

You’ve been running experiential tours in Europe for three years. The business is steady, but the growth ceiling is low. One evening you pull up Dubai’s visitor numbers and something clicks. The demand, the hotel capacity, the year-round season. You decide to make the move, get a company registered, and start reaching out to Dubai hotels with your tour packages.

One property’s compliance team runs a check on your license. It doesn’t cover tourism activities. They tell you to come back once you have the right approvals from the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism. That conversation sets you back eight weeks and costs you the partnership window.

It happens more often than you’d think. This guide exists so you don’t go through the same thing.

Why Tourism Licensing in Dubai Is Different

Dubai welcomed 19.59 million international overnight visitors in 2025, a 5% increase over 2024, according to the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism. 

December 2025 recorded 2.04 million arrivals for the first time in the city’s history. The commercial opportunity is real, but your standard trade license, whether mainland or free zone, doesn’t cover tourism activities.

Your business must hold a specific approval from the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) before it can legally operate. That approval is separate from your company registration. It has its own documents and its own process, and it applies regardless of which jurisdiction you set up in.

The Four Types of Tourism Licenses in Dubai

Before you register anything, get clear on which of the four DET-regulated categories fits your business. Each carries its own permits, prerequisites, and approval flow, per the DET Tourism Businesses portal.

When you select the wrong category at setup, you’ll face delays across every approval that follows. If you’re planning desert camp operations, your safari permit application goes in first. You can’t submit the camp permit application until the safari permit is already active. That order is mandatory.

Mainland vs. Free Zone: Which Setup Is Right for You?

Both options are available to you. The right choice comes down to your market access needs and starting budget.

All IFZA prices are per the official April 2026 Partner Price List, inclusive of VAT.

One thing that might trip you up: your free zone license covers your company registration, not the tourism activity. You still need a separate DET tourism approval before your first booking can be taken, regardless of which jurisdiction you choose.

Since Dubai Executive Council Decision No. 11 of 2025, you can access the mainland Dubai market from a free zone license through a temporary operating permit at AED 5,000 per 6 months, applied for digitally via the Invest in Dubai platform. 

Under Article 15 bis of Federal Decree-Law No. 20 of 2025, you can also move your company from a free zone to the mainland, or vice versa, without losing your legal history or continuity.

Disclaimer: IFZA prices are from the official April 2026 Partner Price List, inclusive of VAT, and apply to new licenses incorporated in April 2026 plus the next three renewals. The 1 Residence Visa free for life promotion applies only upon continued renewal of the business package, as per IFZA Terms and Conditions Clause 2. IFZA reserves the right to amend pricing without prior notice. Verify current fees directly with IFZA or your setup consultant before making financial commitments.

Also Read: What Are the Most Profitable Businesses in UAE? (Complete Guide 2026)

How to Open a Tourism Company in Dubai: Step by Step

Step 1: Choose Your Tourism Activity and License Type

Start by identifying which DET-regulated category fits your business model. Your selection determines your documents, your approval timeline, and which government authorities you’ll work with. If you’re building a desert camp business, your safari permit application goes in first. You can’t run both permit processes at the same time.

Step 2: Decide on Your Jurisdiction and Business Structure

Your options are a mainland LLC, a Free Zone Company, or a Sole Establishment. You can own 100% of your tourism business on both the mainland and in free zones under current UAE law. 

Through IFZA, you can get started from AED 14,900 for a 1-visa package, with one Residence Visa included free for life under the April 2026 promotion. Additional residence visas through IFZA are priced at AED 3,750 each, per IFZA’s official Schedule of Fees.

Step 3: Reserve Your Trade Name and Get Initial Approval

Apply through the Invest in Dubai platform for your trade name reservation and initial approval. 

Your name can’t include religious references, government titles, offensive language, or names already registered by another business. Initial approval confirms there’s no government objection. It doesn’t authorize you to start operating.

Step 4: Submit Your Documents and Obtain DET Tourism Approval

On top of your trade license, you need a DET-specific tourism approval for your activity type. If you’re applying as an outbound tour operator, an irrevocable bank guarantee of AED 200,000 issued in favor of DET may be required. If you’re an inbound operator or travel agent, that figure is AED 100,000.

Disclaimer: DET announced a bank guarantee waiver for tourism firms in 2019. Verify the current requirement directly with DET before your application, as the applicable status and amounts may have changed since then.

If you’re setting up a desert camp, you’ll additionally need Civil Defence approval and Dubai Municipality approval before your camp permit is issued.

Step 5: Register Your Staff, Vehicles, and Guides via DET e-Permits

Every driver on your team needs to complete the DET mandatory tourism training program through the Dubai College of Tourism. It’s fully online, so your team can start before your license is even issued. 

Each driver also needs an RTA Safari Driver Permit before operating legally. Your tour guides complete the Dubai Tour Guide Program, a combination of self-paced and classroom modules, and you manage all registrations and renewals through the DET e-Permits portal.

Documents You’ll Need

For Your Tourism Company Application

• Passport copies of all shareholders and partners
• Passport-size photographs
• Trade name reservation certificate
• Initial approval receipt
• Memorandum of Association (for LLC structures)
• Tenancy contract or FlexiDesk agreement (Ejari-registered for mainland setups)
• Good conduct certificates for you and your manager, issued by Dubai Police

If You’re Setting Up a Desert Safari or Camp Operation

• RTA vehicle registration for all company-owned vehicles
• Civil Defence approval certificate
• Dubai Municipality approval and tenancy contract for the campsite

If You’re Applying for a Tour Guide License

• Valid Emirates ID
• Attested education certificate (minimum high school level)
• NOC from sponsor
• First aid certificate from a certified UAE safety training center
• Valid police clearance certificate from Dubai Police
  Disclaimer: Document requirements are subject to change. Always verify the current official checklist on the DET Tourism Businesses portal before submitting your application.

Post-License Compliance: What Comes After Launch

Your DET tourism license needs annual renewal through the DET portal. If you’re operating on the mainland through a free zone license, your Free Zone Mainland Operating Permit needs to be renewed every 6 months at AED 5,000 to keep that market access active.

Your RTA Safari Driver Permits and vehicle registrations each have their own validity cycles, separate from your company license, so track those renewal dates independently. Your guides need to stay employed under your company at all times and can’t freelance. Each guide’s license also needs course completion at renewal every two years.

Also Read: Why Service-Based Businesses Are Growing in Dubai (2026 Guide)

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can I use freelance drivers for a desert camp business in Dubai?

No. Every driver and guide on your team must be directly employed by your licensed company. DET regulations don’t allow freelancers for desert camp or safari operations.

2. Do I need separate licenses for safari and camp operations?

Yes. Your desert camp permit requires you to already hold an active safari permit. You can’t apply for both at the same time. The process is strictly sequential.

3. Can a free zone tourism company operate at Dubai hotels and malls?

Yes, but only if you hold a valid Free Zone Mainland Operating Permit at AED 5,000 per 6 months, introduced under Dubai Executive Council Decision No. 11 of 2025, and applied for via the Invest in Dubai platform.

4. Can a foreigner own 100% of a tourism company in Dubai?

Yes. You can own 100% of your tourism company on both the mainland and in free zones under current UAE law.

5. Can I move my free zone company to the mainland later without closing and reopening?

Yes. Under Article 15 bis of Federal Decree-Law No. 20 of 2025, you can move your company from a free zone to the mainland, or vice versa, without losing your legal continuity or company history.

6. How much does a desert camp permit cost annually?

DET desert camp permit fees range from AED 5,000 to AED 20,000 per year depending on your camp area, per the official Dubai Government fee schedule under Regulation No. 4 of 2006. Verify the current fee schedule directly with DET before applying.

Take the Next Step with Confidence

Dubai’s tourism sector recorded its third consecutive record-breaking year in 2025, with 19.59 million visitors and hotel occupancy reaching 80.7%, up from 78.2% in 2024, according to the Dubai Media Office. The market window is wide open, but the regulatory path to entering it has real complexity. 

Getting your DET approvals, jurisdiction choice, permit sequence, and ongoing compliance right from the beginning means you’re talking to hotel partners and taking bookings instead of fixing paperwork.

At JSB Incorporation, we handle every step of your tourism company setup, from trade name registration and DET approvals to bank account opening and ongoing compliance. We work across 24+ UAE jurisdictions, including IFZA, DMCC, and mainland setups, with transparent pricing and end-to-end support so you’re operational in weeks, not months.

Book your free consultation call today with the experts of JSB Incorporation to learn more