An Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA) online initiative will make it possible for restaurants and night clubs within Abu Dhabi's hotels to get entertainment licenses within 24 hours, from next week.

The switch over from manual system - which involved other authorities and took between 2 and 6 weeks to get processed - to online license applications has actually come as a bane.

Nasser Al Reyami, Director of ADTA Tourism Standards, said: “The on-line system, which can also process the necessary license fee payments, is the result of 18 months of design, implementation and training. Its introduction is in line with our five-year strategy commitment to enhance sector standardization and improve our stakeholder service.”

In order to train outlet managers about the system, ADTA has organized a series of workshops.

It should be noted that this online entertainment licensing is part of a series of web-based initiatives being undertaken by the ADTA's Tourism Standards Division.

Al Reyami added: “Additional initiatives will be launched next year all with the aim of delivering greater efficiency to the licensing process.”