Tourism and leisure insurance rules in the UAE
Each rule attaches to a fact, such as organising tours, a sports permit, a vessel licence, a timeshare unit or an Abu Dhabi event permit. None uses a general tourism or leisure sector as the trigger.
Which insurance rules apply to travel agencies and leisure operators?
These rules name this kind of business or the work it does.
- Dubai. If your Dubai tourist establishment organises inbound or outbound tours, you must insure tourists and travellers against all risks and damage that may arise from those tours, under a policy that stays valid for the whole licence term and one month after the licence expires. The same applies to appointed general agents and travel and tourism agents for the tours they run.1
- Dubai. If you are an appointed general agent for airlines selling tourism programmes in Dubai, you must provide an insurance policy covering the risks that may arise during those programmes, valid for the licence term and one month after the licence expires.1
- Dubai. If you are a travel and tourism agent in Dubai and you organise your own tours or add services, you must provide an insurance policy covering the risks and damage those services or tours may cause, valid for the licence term and one month after it expires.1
Rules for any employer
- Dubai. Dubai Law No. 11 of 2013 requires employers to enrol employees in health insurance, bear the cost and keep it valid for the whole service period. It applies across the emirate, including special development zones and free zones such as DIFC.8
- Abu Dhabi. Abu Dhabi Law No. 23 of 2005 requires an employer to provide health insurance for its employees and their family members. There is no residence permit, renewal or employment without enrolment.9
- Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah. From 1 January 2025 an employer buys a health insurance policy as a condition of the residence permit for private sector employees and domestic workers. The UAE Government portal names the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation as the source and describes the rule as extending to Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah.10
- Every emirate. If your establishment is subject to the federal Labour Law (Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021), you must provide either a bank guarantee of AED 3,000 for each worker or insurance for each worker, under the mechanisms approved by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation.11
- Every emirate. If you employ staff in the private sector or the federal government, each worker must subscribe to the Unemployment Insurance Scheme by buying a policy that insures them if their service ends in the cases where they are eligible. The duty is on the worker, not on you as the employer, and investors who own and work at the establishment, domestic workers, temporary contract workers, workers under 18 and specified retirees are excluded.12
Each emirate page sets out the rule and the authority. Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
How many travel agencies and leisure operators are licensed?
| Emirate | Licences | Counted from | As of |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abu Dhabi | 3,044 | Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development open data | 6 October 2026 |
A licence counts once, however many activities it holds. Abu Dhabi and Ajman publish licence data by activity as open data.
| ISIC class | Class title | Abu Dhabi licences |
|---|---|---|
| 7911 | Travel agency activities | 2,025 |
| 7912 | Tour operator activities | 1,196 |
| 9321 | Activities of amusement parks and theme parks | 405 |
| 9329 | Other amusement and recreation activities n.e.c. | 353 |
Which types of cover should travel agencies and leisure operators read about?
Policy periods and consequences differ by rule
| Fact | Place | Policy period | Consequence stated | Text |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Organising tours | Dubai | Licence term plus 1 month | Fines of AED 5,000, 10,000, 15,000 and 20,000 for first to fourth occurrence | Regulation 6 of 2006 |
| Sports establishment permit | Dubai | Not stated in Art 6 | A permit requirement. Art 6(b) lets the Council issue a permit with a grace period where not all requirements are met | Resolution 1 of 2020 |
| Sports event permit | Dubai | Not stated in Art 7 | A permit requirement. Art 7(b) lets the Secretary General exempt an applicant, under rules | Resolution 1 of 2020 |
| Vessel licence | Dubai | Licence term plus 30 days | No licence or renewal if the policy limits full civil liability | Resolution 11 of 2013 |
| Commercial maritime work | Dubai waters | Not stated | Art 7 applies the penalties in Resolution 11 of 2013 | Resolution 1 of 2025 |
| Timeshare unit | Dubai | Term of the unit approval | Not stated in Art 5. The policy is shown to DET on request | Resolution 74 of 2023 |
| Rides and games, or consumer exhibition | Abu Dhabi | Not stated | Listed among permit documents. No limit stated | DCT manual |
Art 8 and fines item 29 set the tour rule.1 Art 5 sets the timeshare rule, and it also requires a policy from a UAE-licensed insurer covering damage and risks to the unit or the beneficiaries occupying it.2
The tour rule reaches agents for tours they run
Art 8 binds an establishment organising inbound or outbound tours. The schedule adds appointed general agents for programmes they sell, organised by the agent or offered by the airlines it represents, and travel and tourism agents for tours they wholly organise or extra services they add. The Regulation dates from 2006 and names DTCM, not DET. Confirm the current text with DET.
The sports definitions are wide
A Sports Establishment is any company or corporation licensed in Dubai to conduct a sports activity, commercial or not. The definition lists sports clubs, companies, academies, centres and physical fitness centres, then adds the words “which are concerned with the social, cultural, and sports welfare of the youth”. Ask the Dubai Sports Council whether a given gym falls inside those words.
A Sports Event is any sports activity or function organised in Dubai, commercial or not, including festivals, shows, competitions and sports workshops, seminars, conferences and exhibitions. The Resolution applies across Dubai, including free zones such as DIFC. It does not apply to sports activities that organisations run for their own employees.
The two policies differ. An establishment’s policy covers damage from its sports activities or its breach of the Resolution. An event policy covers damage to third parties.3
Vessel charter has its own insurance term
Art 41 of the vessel bylaw requires establishments the authority licenses to charter vessels to submit a comprehensive policy from a UAE-licensed vessel insurer. The policy compensates damage to individuals and property and covers removal of shipwrecks. A licence application under Art 9 lists an original comprehensive policy valid for 13 months. Art 20 says insurers licensed in Dubai may not refuse a vessel that passes technical inspection as seaworthy and meets their requirements.4
Art 5(7) of the 2025 commercial maritime Resolution says “appropriate” third party liability insurance. It does not define the word or state a limit.5
One broker’s event insurance claim goes further than the texts
| Source | What it says | Reach |
|---|---|---|
| One broker's page | DET and DCT require public liability certificates for all permits | All permits |
| Dubai Resolution 1 of 2020 | A policy for damage to third parties from the event | Sports events only |
| DCT manual, Version 1, 2024 | Insurance for rides and games events and for consumer exhibitions | Those event types |
The DCT manual says it was issued in 2023, carries a 2024 version label, and tells users to check for the latest version.6
The rules in full
Rules for any employer
| Rule | Where it comes from |
|---|---|
| If your establishment is subject to the federal Labour Law (Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021), you must provide either a bank guarantee of AED 3,000 for each worker or insurance for each worker, under the mechanisms approved by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation. | Cabinet Resolution No. (18) of 2022 Concerning the Classification of Private Sector Establishments, Art 8(1)11 |
| If the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation classifies your establishment as high-risk, you must insure each worker under the mechanisms the Ministry approves, and the bank guarantee option does not apply to you. | Cabinet Resolution No. (18) of 2022, Art 8(2)11 |
| For each employee, your establishment must provide either an insurance policy under the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation guide, or a bank guarantee of at least AED 3,000 from a bank operating in the UAE that is valid for one year, renews automatically and is payable on demand. | Ministerial Resolution No. 318 of 2022 Concerning Bank Guarantees and Employees Protection Insurance Scheme, Art 1 |
| If you employ staff in the private sector or the federal government, each worker must subscribe to the Unemployment Insurance Scheme by buying a policy that insures them if their service ends in the cases where they are eligible. The duty is on the worker, not on you as the employer, and investors who own and work at the establishment, domestic workers, temporary contract workers, workers under 18 and specified retirees are excluded. | Cabinet Resolution No. (97) of 2022 Concerning the Mechanisms and Controls of Implementing the Unemployment Insurance Scheme, Art 212 |
| If you employ staff in Dubai, including in its free zones and special development zones, you must enrol your employees in health insurance, pay its cost, keep it valid for their whole period of service, and produce the policy when their residence permits are issued or renewed. | Law No. (11) of 2013 Concerning Health Insurance in the Emirate of Dubai, Art 10(1), (2), (3), (6)8 |
| If you are an employer or sponsor in Dubai and do not enrol your employees or sponsored persons in health insurance with at least the basic cover by the deadline, the fine is AED 500 for each month of delay, with part of a month counted as a full month, and charging the cost to a beneficiary brings a fine of AED 10,000 per beneficiary plus a refund. Fines double for a repeat within one year, up to AED 500,000. | Executive Council Resolution No. (7) of 2016 Approving Health Insurance Fees and Fines in the Emirate of Dubai, Schedule (2), rows 6 and 8 |
| If you employ expatriate residents in Abu Dhabi, you must provide health insurance for all your employees and their family members, including the employee's wife and three children under 18, unless your category is exempt under the law, and a non-UAE national's residence permit and employment depend on that enrolment. | Law No. (23) of 2005 Concerning Health Insurance in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, Art 59 |
Key facts
What the evidence supports
- Organising inbound or outbound tours from a Dubai licensed establishment1The policy insures tourists and travellers against risks and damage from the tours.Last checked 4 Nov 2026
- Applying for a Dubai sports establishment permit3The policy comes from an insurer licensed in the Emirate and covers damage from the establishment's sports activities.Last checked 4 Nov 2026
- Applying for a Dubai sports event permit3The policy comes from an insurer licensed in the Emirate and covers damage to third parties from the event.Last checked 4 Nov 2026
- Issuing, renewing or varying a vessel licence in Dubai4The vessel must carry the insurance the authority determines, from a UAE-licensed vessel insurer.Last checked 4 Nov 2026
- Commercial maritime work on a vessel in Dubai waters5The owner, operator or maritime agent provides third party liability insurance. Listed work includes diving operations and renting out vessels the authority has allowed to navigate but not licensed.Last checked 4 Nov 2026
- Timeshare accommodation unit in Dubai2The establishment submits a policy for each unit, unless the unit sits in a hotel establishment under a comprehensive policy.Last checked 4 Nov 2026
- Abu Dhabi event permit with rides and games, or a consumer exhibition6The DCT manual lists an insurance company covering the event and area for rides and games, and insurance for the exhibition for consumer exhibitions. This is an authority manual, not legislation.Last checked 4 Nov 2026
Nothing recorded here yet. That does not settle the question.
Nothing recorded here yet. That does not settle the question.
- Public liability for all Dubai event permits3One broker's page says DET and DCT require certificates for all permits. Primary texts cover sports events, and a held drone rule covers indoor events. Ask DET.Last checked 4 Nov 2026
- Other Abu Dhabi event types6Other event types in the DCT table state no insurance term. Ask DCT.Last checked 4 Nov 2026
- Which insurance the authority sets for a vessel licence4The bylaw leaves this to the authority. Ask Dubai Maritime Authority.Last checked 4 Nov 2026
Sources
12
1Supreme Legislation Committee, Dubai Legal Portal, Regulation No. (6) of 2006 Concerning the Licensing of Tourist Establishments and Travel Agencies. Art 8, schedule, fines item 29. Last checked 4 Nov 2026. Source document: Regulation No. (6) of 2006 Concerning the Licensing of Tourist Establishments and Travel Agencies
2Department of Economy and Tourism, via Dubai Legal Portal, Administrative Resolution No. (74) of 2023 Issuing the Implementing Bylaw of Law No. (14) of 2020 Concerning Timeshare Schemes. Art 5. Last checked 4 Nov 2026. Source document: Administrative Resolution No. (74) of 2023 Issuing the Implementing Bylaw of Law No. (14) of 2020 Concerning Timeshare Schemes
3Supreme Legislation Committee, Dubai Legal Portal, Executive Council Resolution No. (1) of 2020 Regulating Sports Establishments and Sports Events in the Emirate of Dubai. Art 1, 2, 6(a)(6), 7(a)(8), 7(b). Last checked 4 Nov 2026. Source document: Executive Council Resolution No. (1) of 2020 Regulating Sports Establishments and Sports Events in the Emirate of Dubai
4Supreme Legislation Committee, Dubai Legal Portal, Executive Council Resolution No. (11) of 2013 Issuing the Implementing Bylaw of Law No. (11) of 2010 Concerning the Licensing of Vessels in the Emirate of Dubai. Art 1, 9, 20 to 22, 41. Last checked 4 Nov 2026. Source document: Executive Council Resolution No. (11) of 2013 Issuing the Implementing Bylaw of Law No. (11) of 2010 Concerning the Licensing of Vessels in the Emirate of Dubai
5Dubai Maritime Authority, via Dubai Legal Portal, Administrative Resolution No. (1) of 2025 Regulating the Conduct of Commercial Maritime Activities on Vessels in the Emirate of Dubai. Art 1, 5(7), 7. Last checked 4 Nov 2026. Source document: Administrative Resolution No. (1) of 2025 Regulating the Conduct of Commercial Maritime Activities on Vessels in the Emirate of Dubai
6Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi, Event Licensing Manual, User Guidelines, Version 1, 2024. Consumer Exhibition Permits list, table row 1.8. Last checked 4 Nov 2026. Source document: Event Licensing Manual, User Guidelines
7Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development, Economic Activities Dataset with Licensing Information (DL00-Activities.xlsx). Last checked 6 Oct 2026. Source document: Economic Activities Dataset with Licensing Information (DL00-Activities.xlsx)
8isahd.ae, Dubai Law No. 11 of 2013, Articles 4 and 10, and Executive Council Resolution No. 7 of 2016, Schedule 2. Last checked 4 Nov 2026. Source document: Dubai Law No. 11 of 2013, Articles 4 and 10, and Executive Council Resolution No. 7 of 2016, Schedule 2
9doh.gov.ae, Abu Dhabi Law No. 23 of 2005, Articles 5 and 24, as compiled by the Department of Health to 2010. Last checked 4 Nov 2026. Source document: Abu Dhabi Law No. 23 of 2005, Articles 5 and 24, as compiled by the Department of Health to 2010
10u.ae, UAE Government portal page on getting health insurance, updated 8 September 2026. Ministerial Resolution 504 of 2026 is listed on the Ministry site.. Last checked 4 Nov 2026. Source document: UAE Government portal page on getting health insurance, updated 8 September 2026. Ministerial Resolution 504 of 2026 is listed on the Ministry site.
11UAE Federal Government (uaelegislation.gov.ae), Cabinet Resolution No. (18) of 2022 Concerning the Classification of Private Sector Establishments. Art 8(1). Last checked 4 Nov 2026. Source document: Cabinet Resolution No. (18) of 2022 Concerning the Classification of Private Sector Establishments
12UAE Federal Government, Cabinet Resolution No. (97) of 2022 Concerning the Mechanisms and Controls of Implementing the Unemployment Insurance Scheme. Art 2. Last checked 4 Nov 2026. Source document: Cabinet Resolution No. (97) of 2022 Concerning the Mechanisms and Controls of Implementing the Unemployment Insurance Scheme
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