With the growing GCC economy, there surely will be ample opportunities for interior designers in the UAE market. More so, because educated people understand about design and also know what interior designers do and what is the role of architects.
It is forecasted that there will be rapid growth in the design industry in Dubai and Abu Dhabi in the coming years. This is because the commercial sector is booming and there has been a sharp rise of both retail and residential projects throughout the country.
A report from INDEX, the Middle East & North Africa’s largest gathering for the design community, outlines that the GCC Interiors & Fit-Out market is currently valued at US$9.04bn and represents a growth of 4.42%. The overall value of the construction projects in the GCC were touted to be at $76.94bn last year. About 16% of value of any construction project is spent on interior design and furnishings, and hence, this industry could be a very lucrative option for people thinking of entering the market or planning to set up an interior design company in Dubai.
Even 2018 looks promising for this sector because the largest-ever budget has been approved by Dubai government because it encourages spending on Expo 2020, which is a global exposition which gets about 180 countries together with global visitors of over 25 million.
In addition, in 2018, VAT or value-added tax will also be imposed in the six markets in GCC, which will bring in a minimum of $20 billion to the government incomes throughout the Arabian Gulf, which will further speed up growth.
Many businesses use INDEX events to enter the market to meet and network with thousands of exhibitors from across the globe.
How to open interior design company in Dubai, UAE?
To set up an interior design company in Dubai, you can either consider a free zone entity or an on-shore business. Both options differ in terms of the restrictions and the advantages.
In case of free zones, any enterprise conducting activities in the field of interior designing or furnishings is termed as ‘Interior Design Consultancy’, and the activities that are allowed include creating plans and drawings or detailed designs and landscaping for any residential, commercial, or retail buildings, or offices. The two popular free zones in Dubai are Dubai Creative Clusters Authority (DCCA) Free Zone and Jebel Ali Free Zone (JAFZA).
DCCA Free Zone provides an option of Interior Design Consultancy license and also Interior Designer permits for people who are freelance consultants specializing into furnishings and designing architectural interiors.
If you are planning a business setup in the Dubai free zone, you can only perform your business activities within that particular free zone, with other permissible free zones and/or abroad. Hence, the sponsored employees working in a free zone organization are not permitted to work outside the premises, nor the organization, to get any commercial agreement with customers located in the UAE mainland.
However, the Interior Design Consultancy license does not give the organization the permit to get the Customs code for importing furniture or other interior products, which are a part of the project’s concept. Hence, it is advisable to appoint some local agent or distributor.
Please note that all design consultants or companies thinking of a set up in the UAE need a professional license and Dubai Municipality Approval along with proper and relevant degree and experience in this sector.
