In a bid to promote the growth of the tourism industry in Abu Dhabi, the emirate’s Department of Culture and Tourism has set the annual tourism business license fee at AED 1,000.
The department said in a statement the revised fee would be welcome news to existing license holders who currently pay varying fee amounts, depending on the level of business activity, and will be a significant boost given the challenges the sector has faced over the past 18 months.
The statement reads: “The new business license offers an amended fixed-fee structure, with the blanket costs covering fees payable to several Abu Dhabi Government entities, including Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development, the Department of Municipalities and Transport, Abu Dhabi Chamber membership fees and the Certificate of Conformity issuance fee.”
It also covers Abu Dhabi’s regulation fees, with the amount adjustable depending on the type of business applying. Overall, the changes represent an almost 90 percent reduction in total license fee costs.
The license fee cap aims to benefit existing businesses in the emirate and encourage new investors to start ventures, elevating Abu Dhabi’s competitiveness as a leading destination regionally and internationally with its dynamic leisure, culture and MICE tourism sectors.
Hamad Mohammed Saeed Alsudain, Licensing and Regulatory Compliance Director at DCT Abu Dhabi, said, “The new licensing fee structure is a tangible demonstration of our unwavering support of the tourism sector, and will benefit those wishing to open, continue or expand their tourism business across Abu Dhabi. Regardless of the type of organization or size, applicants can feel confident that we are partners and focused on their growth.”
