How to set up a hospitality business in Dubai
1Choose the hospitality activityDecide whether you run a hotel, hotel apartment, restaurant or other venue. The activity sets the licence, the classification and which approvals you need.
2Register the company and licenceRegister the entity and the hospitality activity with the Department of Economy and Tourism, which licenses and classifies the sector in Dubai.
3Secure the classification and approvalsHotels and hotel apartments are classified by the regulator; food venues need a Dubai Municipality food approval, and premises need Civil Defence sign-off.
4Set up staff visasHospitality runs on people. Set up the establishment card and visa quota so you can sponsor front-of-house, kitchen and operations staff.
5Open the corporate bank accountOpen a business account to take payments and pay suppliers and staff. We introduce you to the right banking officer.
Why start a hospitality business in Dubai?
Dubai's position as a global tourism and events destination sustains one of the region's busiest hospitality markets, from hotels and hotel apartments to restaurants, cafes and venues. Demand is year-round, driven by visitors and a large resident base. Hospitality is a licensed, classified sector, so the setup is more involved than a plain trade licence, and doing it right protects the guest experience the brand depends on.
Hospitality licence: types and cost
A hospitality business runs on a Department of Economy and Tourism licence for the specific activity, with hotels and hotel apartments classified by the regulator, plus a Dubai Municipality food approval for any F&B and Civil Defence sign-off for the premises. Because the activity, classification and visa quota drive the cost, we price your exact setup rather than publish a figure that would not fit it. Get your exact quote.
Documents required
Passport copies of the shareholders and the manager
The proposed trade name and hospitality activity
A tenancy contract for the premises
Premises and kitchen plans that meet the safety and food-safety standards
Mainland vs free zone vs offshore: which fits?
How OMC helps you establish your hospitality business
We have handled UAE company formation since 2007, across more than 1,400 companies. We coordinate the licence, the classification and the Dubai Municipality and Civil Defence approvals so they move as one process, and set up the establishment card and staff visas. We also introduce you to a banking officer so you can take payments from day one.
Frequently asked questions
You register a company with the Department of Economy and Tourism for the hospitality activity, which classifies hotels and hotel apartments, then obtain the premises and food-safety approvals. OMC handles the licence and the approvals together.
Any venue serving food needs a Dubai Municipality food-safety approval on top of the trade licence, and the premises need Civil Defence sign-off. We arrange these alongside the licence.
Yes. Foreign investors can own mainland hospitality businesses. We confirm the ownership rule and the regulator's conditions for the specific activity before you file.
The Department of Economy and Tourism classifies hotels and hotel apartments against defined standards, which affects how the property is permitted and marketed. We advise on the classification your property targets.
The trade licence is quick, but the classification and the premises and food-safety approvals set the real timeline. We give you a realistic schedule for your activity at the quote stage.
Related services
Mainland company setup
PRO and government approvals
Corporate bank account opening
Company formation in the UAE