The Abu Dhabi Business Centre of the Department of Economic Development (DED) has registered 2,935 licences during the first quarter of 2018, an increase of 26 per cent compared to the same quarter last year, which saw 2,328 new licenses, according to the report issued for the first quarter of 2018.

The report monitors commercial activities in Abu Dhabi, mainly new licence issuances, renewals, modifications, permits, announcements, violations, fees and other types of transaction activities, reported Emirates news agency Wam.

Mohammed Munif Al Mansouri, CEO of the Abu Dhabi Business Centre, said that the DED has devised a clear strategy to develop the business sector, in order to turn Abu Dhabi into an attractive destination for investors and businessmen. This has been achieved by implementing the plans, programmes, regulations and laws that govern the job market and ensure the carrying out of the best practices, which in turn enables the emirate to secure advanced positions in international competitiveness reports.

The report mentioned that the total number of new commercial licences registered in the emirate reached 2,779 in the first quarter of 2018, compared to 2,220 licences in the same quarter of last year, indicating an increase of 25 per cent. On the other hand, there were a 49 craft licences registered in the first quarter of 2018, which is the same as last year.

Moreover, 43 new tourism licences have been recorded during the first quarter of 2018, compared to 29 licences in the same period last year, which was an increase of 48 per cent.

Regarding professional licences, 53 new licences were recorded in the first quarter of 2018, compared to 17 in the same period last year, an increase of 211 per cent, whereas the agricultural, fish and livestock and industrial licences recorded 7 and 4 licences, respectively, during the first quarter of 2018.

Al Mansouri emphasised that this data shows an increase in the demand on issuing commercial licences over the last years, which reflects the expansion of the commercial market in the emirate of Abu Dhabi, in light of the urban expansion that it has witnessed.

The report mentioned that the total number of economic licences that were renewed during the first quarter of 2018 reached 7,750 licences, compared to 7,385 licenses in the same quarter last year, an increase of 4.9 per cent.