Dubai, 14 February 2023: The Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation, through the Department of Planning and Development – Trakhees, achieved a remarkable growth in the number of completed commercial transactions in 2022 compared to 2021, as the Department completed more than 50,000 transactions, with a growth rate of 24%.
His Excellency Eng. Abdulla Belhoul, CEO of the Department of Planning and Development – Trakhees, emphasized the Department’s efforts in implementing the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, aimed at supporting the national economy, which contributes to making Dubai a preferred global destination for investment, by adopting a culture of excellence in performance to ensure the happiness and satisfaction of customers, and by attracting more strategic partnerships that support business growth in the areas supervised by the department.
Abdulla Belhoul pointed out that the Department is seeking during the current year to achieve positive growth rates in the commercial licensing sectors in the special development areas by developing and improving services based on suggestions and observations from customers, in addition to strengthening partnerships with real estate developers in those areas, adding that Trakhees seeks to implement the UAE’s strategy for excellence in government services and has doubled its efforts to achieve customer happiness by reviewing and applying the best pioneering practices in this field, which contributed to raising the customer happiness index to 86%.
In detail, the CEO of Trakhees stated that the statistics indicate a growth in the demand for local license services issued by the Department of Planning and Development – Trakhees by the department’s customers, including individuals and companies, by 53%, to reach 14,221 transactions during the year 2022, as the Federal Lisence renewal service ranked first with a number of 6772 transactions, with a growth rate of 50%, followed by the Trade Name reservation service, with 2054 transactions, with a growth rate of 39%.
Abdulla Belhoul explained that Trakhees is keen to support the business sector and enhance Dubai’s competitiveness and its ability to attract small and medium projects and enterprises, pointing out that the reservation of more than two thousand Trade Names in the special development areas that fall under the supervision of the Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation, confirms the desire and confidence businessmen in the economic sector in Dubai and their role in achieving sustainable growth in various economic businesses within the country.
Dr. Hamad AlFalasi, Director of the Licensing Department at the Department of Planning and Development – Trakhees, revealed government services transactions, pointing to the growth in the number of government transactions during the year 2022 by 34%, which was accompanied by a growth in the number of work permits issued by the department by 27% compared to last year, to reach the approval of 8,260 work permits in Dubai compared to 6,516 last year, and the work permit renewal service was applied, with a growth of 26%, through 2,545 transactions, in addition to 428 transactions for the service of issuing an establishment card and 1,184 transactions for renewing the card, and the demand for the amendment service increased business establishment by 420 transactions and the growth rate rose to 144%.
AlFalasi stated: “Altogether, the International City ranked first in the list of sites that obtained federal law license transactions with 570 licenses, then came in second place the Jumeirah Village Circle area, then the Dragon Mart, followed by Palm Jumeirah, then Palm Deira”.
He added, at the level of services related to free zone licenses that fall under the supervision of Trakhees, the service of renewing free zone licenses came in the list of services that were popular with customers, reaching 1461 transactions during the past year, with a growth rate of 26%, as well as the service of issuing commercial permits with 360 transactions, an increase of 7%.
The Director of the Licensing Department explained that Trakhees is keen to provide a distinguished service experience for customers by improving the customers’ journey in an easy and smooth manner that saves time and effort in line with their needs and the diversity of service delivery channels, appreciating the unremitting efforts made by the Licensing Department in the field of sustainable economy with the aim of promoting course of economic growth.
Dr. Hamad added that Trakhees will continue, with the help of work teams and in cooperation with various partners, to improve and develop the level of services provided by the department, such as the issuance of commercial licenses, the issuance of work permits, and other incentive elements and facilities that ensure keeping pace with the aspirations of entrepreneurs and business investors, pointing to the implementation of the licensing department a number of mechanisms and initiatives to motivate customers by involving them in the design and development of the services provided by the department in relation to commercial licensing.
