With more and more people taking to traveling, starting a tourism company is a promising idea. One of the top cities for this kind of venture is Dubai, considering the ease of starting a business and the support from the government. To capitalize on popular tourist activities, setting up a desert safari camp in Dubai can be a rewarding and lucrative venture. However, like all types of businesses, there are certain legal processes that include applying for and securing a legal permit, estimating the costs for setting up an infrastructure for a desert camp, hiring employees, and marketing the business.
Why go for a Tourism Company with a Desert Safari in Dubai?
A desert safari in Dubai is an activity that caters to all age groups as it offers adventure, cultural immersion, food, and sightseeing. Locals and tourists cannot restrain themselves from embarking on a desert safari because of the multi-fold experiences they gain from this activity. People enjoy the thrilling dune bashing as they ride in a powerful SUV on the ascending and descending surface of the desert. They can also try camel riding, sandboarding, and exploring the desert in dune buggies. Besides, the spectacle of desert sunrise and views are unforgettable. Once adventure and sightseeing are over, people are taken to the campsite where they immerse in cultural activities, watching belly dancing, and savoring sumptuous food. By starting with a desert safari in Dubai, tourism companies can offer a memorable time for visitors in the desert.
Find the Ideal Desert Expanse
The Arabian desert is like an ocean of sand dunes stretched from one end to another. That’s why understanding the desert landscape and picking an ideal location for a desert safari camp in Dubai is paramount. When planning, it is equally important to consider the accessibility of the location from the city and the environmental regulations attached to the tourism business. The best way to decide on a location is to take a desert safari in Dubai with a reputed and experienced tour company. Try to obtain a legal permit for a desert safari camp near the Dubai Desert Conservative Reserve, where indigenous plants and animals thrive. Another location is the Lahbab Desert, which offers high-rise sand dunes for dune bashing. To provide customers with a tranquil escape, the majestic Al Qudra Desert is also a good option where visitors can enjoy pristine dunes and gleaming lakes. There is one more spectacular location, the Empty Quarter, or Rub’ al Khali, as it is locally known.
Legal and Operational Steps for a new Desert Safari Camp in Dubai
Once the location for desert safari camp in Dubai is finalized, it’s time to apply for and obtain a new desert camp permit in Dubai. The government of Dubai offers a few e-portals to apply for the permit. Some of the official e-portals where tourism companies can apply for the permit are https://www.dm.gov.ae/, which is the Dubai Municipality website, and https://www.visitdubai.com/en/, which is the Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) website. Alternatively, tourism companies can meet the officials of these departments that govern tourism-related permits in person to learn about the process of applying for and obtaining a desert camp permit.
There are a few steps on the e-portals to apply for the permit. First, it is mandatory to create an account on the portal. For any help filling in the required details, there is a registration user guide and FAQ documents on the portal. The simple instructions provided to navigate through each step are quite handy to complete the registration process.
Desert Safari Camp in Dubai Document Requirements:
To start a desert safari company in Dubai, a no objection letter issued by the Department of Dubai Civil Defense, a tenancy contract copy issued by the Dubai Municipality and a permit are necessary. Along with the permit, the tourism company must have 10 vehicles that are owned by and registered in the name of the company. If ten vehicles are not possible at the initial stage, at least five vehicles and a 45-seater bus registered in the name of the company are compulsory. In addition to the vehicles, the company must have at least five tour guides with a resident visa and driving license with a minimum of two years of validity.
Infrastructure and Construction of the Desert Camp
How comfortable and at ease the customers will be depends a lot on the infrastructure and construction of the desert camp. Tourism companies must also consider the harsh weather of the desert along with the comfort of their customers. The facilities and amenities can certainly boost a desert safari camp. While planning for comfort and luxury, paying attention to the safety, and sustainable solutions for the use of water, air-conditioners, and energy are also important. In no way can the tourism company be lethargic or pay no heed when it comes to preserving the desert environment. Starting a desert safari camp in Dubai needs to be planned in such a way that there won’t be any damage to the natural beauty and environment of the desert.
Marketing Desert Safari in Dubai
There are many desert companies operating in Dubai. Competing with them can be challenging for a new tourism company. However, with the right marketing strategy and ethical and transparent business practices, it is easy to attract customers. There are many ways to do marketing for a desert safari business, from placing ads on the internet and social media platforms to sticking banners and erecting billboards at strategic locations can help. How the safari business is promoted will make a difference. For this, the marketing plan must include ways to highlight what the desert safari is offering and how different it is from those provided by other tour companies. Highlighting unique selling propositions such as the inclusions, comfort, and luxury can attract customers to book the desert safari. Along with marketing, it is also necessary to collaborate with local businesses such as hotels, resorts, and event companies to improve the visibility of the desert safari business.
Desert Safari Décor, Theme, and Furnishing
How beautifully the desert camp is laid out and decorated will not only create an inviting atmosphere but also make customers feel welcomed. The type of thematic décor utilizing appealing color schemes, motifs, and patterns will help create a fun and welcoming environment, which will set the mood of customers the moment they step inside the camp. Beside décor and theme, the type of furniture used in the desert camp can also help in growing the desert safari business. Using high-quality and comfortable furnishings and dining furniture to make the customers feel at home and comfortable is paramount to the success of the business.
Decoding Costs for Constructing a Desert Safari Camp in Dubai
Starting a desert safari camp in Dubai is a rewarding venture, but it requires a significant investment in the initial stage. From acquiring the right piece of desert expanse for the campsite to obtaining a legal permit for the desert camp, the cost associated with constructing and setting up the infrastructure for the desert camp is diverse. The right calculation of the capital investment, operational costs, marketing and advertising, and business development expenses must be carefully worked out. Every single component contributes to the expenditure. Despite this, the desert safari campsite venture offers lots of potential for the business to flourish.
No doubt, establishing the desert safari camp in Dubai is complex and requires lots of planning, considering the environmental regulations of the UAE government, a good portion of capital investment, infrastructure, construction, facilities & amenities, and more. But once a tour company gets through the initial legal permit process and is ready to manage the operational costs, it can be a profitable venture.
