Dubai trade licenses up 6% in December 2012

The Dubai Department of Economic Development (DED) issued 1,372 licenses for various business types in December 2012, an increase of 6 percent compared to the same period a year ago.

The majority of new licenses issued compared to 2011 were in the tourism sector, which saw an increase of 42 percent, followed by the professional (10 percent) and commercial (5 percent) sectors.

Amended licenses in December 2012 totaled 5,416, while renewed licenses reached 6,929. The total number of business registration and licensing transactions was 48,025, compared to 42,579 a year earlier – an increase of 13 percent.

The number of trade names issued was 5,364, up 14 percent from 2011, and the number of initial approvals went up 14 percent to 2,467.

Commercial activities licensed in December 2012 totaled 3,161, and licenses for professional activities reached 805.

Commercial licenses accounted for 73 percent of total licenses issued in December 2012, followed by professional (25 percent), industrial and tourism (both 1 percent) licenses.