Travel & Tourism

Legal Services for Travel & Tourism Companies in Dubai

Travel businesses sell something they do not control. The hotel, the airline and the ground operator each perform independently, but the customer holds the agency responsible for all of it.

Dubai Legal Expert advises travel agencies, tour operators, destination management companies and travel platforms across the UAE on licensing, liability, supplier contracts and consumer matters.

20+Years of Experience
5000+Cases Handled
FreeCase Assessment
What We Do

Licensing, Package Liability and Supplier Chains

Travel and tourism activity is licensed by the tourism regulator, with separate categories for inbound, outbound and tour operation. Operating outside the licensed category, or offering services the licence does not cover, is a regulatory issue independent of any customer complaint.

The commercial risk sits in the gap between what the agency promises the customer and what its suppliers actually commit to. Where the supplier contract contains no commitment on the thing the customer was promised, the agency carries that exposure alone.

Contact Us
  • Tourism Licensing

    Licence categories, scope, permits and responses to regulatory queries and findings.

  • Booking Terms and Conditions

    Customer terms covering cancellation, changes, liability, force majeure and refunds.

  • Supplier Agreements

    Hotel, transport, ground operator and DMC agreements with allocation matching customer promises.

  • OTA and Platform Contracts

    Online travel agency and platform agreements including commission, liability and data terms.

  • Consumer Complaints

    Complaint handling, refund disputes and responses to regulatory consumer escalations.

Our Approach

How We Support Travel & Tourism Businesses

Licence Scope

Confirming the licence covers the activity actually being sold, which is checked more often than operators expect.

Booking Terms

Cancellation, change, refund and liability terms drafted for the actual product and the applicable rules.

Back to Back Supply

Supplier commitments aligned with what the customer was promised, so exposure does not sit with you alone.

Platform Terms

OTA and platform agreements reviewed for commission base, liability, data and rate parity terms.

Force Majeure

Force majeure and disruption provisions drafted from experience of how these events actually unfold.

Complaint Handling

Complaint processes that resolve issues before they become regulatory escalations.

Why Us

Why the Supply Gap Creates the Exposure

An agency promises a customer a specific room category, a guaranteed transfer time and a named excursion. Its contracts with the hotel, the transport company and the excursion operator contain none of those commitments in binding form.

When the promise fails, the agency refunds the customer and has no recourse against the supplier. Aligning supplier commitments with customer promises closes that gap, and it is the most valuable review a travel business can commission.

Process

How We Work With Travel & Tourism Clients

A structured route from review through documentation to dispute support.

  1. 01

    Business and Licence Review

    We establish what is sold, through which channels, and whether the licence covers it.

  2. 02

    Terms Drafting

    Customer booking terms are drafted for the actual product and the applicable consumer rules.

  3. 03

    Supplier Alignment

    Supplier agreements are reviewed and renegotiated to match what customers are promised.

  4. 04

    Platform Review

    OTA and platform agreements are reviewed for commission, liability, data and parity terms.

  5. 05

    Complaint Process

    Complaint handling and refund procedures are established to resolve issues early.

  6. 06

    Regulatory Support

    Responses to regulatory queries, findings and consumer escalations are handled formally.

Testimonials

What Our Clients Say

★★★★★
Our supplier contracts committed to none of what we promise customers. Fixing that changed our risk position entirely.
A. DhillonTour Operator
★★★★★
The force majeure clause in our booking terms was untested and inadequate. Redrafting it was overdue.
F. ZerbiniTravel Agency
FAQ

Travel & Tourism Sector FAQs

Who licenses travel businesses in Dubai?

Travel and tourism activity is licensed by the tourism regulator, with separate categories covering inbound, outbound and tour operation.

Are we liable for supplier failures?

Customers generally hold the agency responsible, so the exposure depends on whether your supplier contracts contain matching commitments.

What should booking terms cover?

Cancellation and change rights, refund treatment, liability allocation, force majeure and the process for complaints.

What should we check in OTA agreements?

Commission base, liability allocation, ownership and use of customer data, rate parity obligations and termination.

How should refunds be handled?

Through a documented policy consistent with consumer protection requirements and with what the booking terms actually say.

Do visa services require specific licensing?

Services relating to visa processing are subject to their own requirements, and the licence scope should be confirmed for the activity offered.

Speak to a Travel Sector Lawyer

Aligning supplier commitments with customer promises is the highest value review in this sector. The first consultation is free.

Office No. 9C, 9th Floor, Dubai Creek Tower, Next to Land Department, Deira, Dubai, UAE