Starting a travel agency in Abu Dhabi involves a tourism-services activity licence through ADDED, plus registration requirements tied to selling flights, tour packages and travel-related services that go beyond a standard trading licence.
Licensing and IATA considerations
A travel agency needs ADDED's tourism/travel-agency activity licence, and if the business intends to issue airline tickets directly, IATA accreditation is typically required separately from the trade licence itself. Agencies that only sell packages through other IATA-accredited providers may not need this accreditation.
Mainland or free zone in Abu Dhabi
Travel agencies with a walk-in retail storefront generally need a mainland licence, while an online-only or B2B travel business without a physical retail location can often operate through a free zone licence instead.
Costs and timeline
Beyond the base trade licence, budget separately for IATA accreditation costs and financial guarantee requirements if you plan to issue tickets directly. Model your base licensing cost with this site's Business Setup Cost Calculator.