Dubai Duty Free

The plan was presented to Sheikh Mohammed by Mohi-Din Binhendi, the director-general of Dubai Civil Aviation, and was approved on the condition that the duty-free shopping area be expanded to twice its original size and opened within six months.

[6] The duty-free shopping area, planned to serve three million passengers a year, was funded with an $820,000 loan from the National Bank of Dubai.

[7] In 1985, Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum became chairman of Emirates Airlines and the Department of Civil Aviation.

[7] Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum is regarded as the driving force behind the Dubai Duty Free,[8] approving the project to double its size[8] and endorsing major concepts.

In 1989, the Dubai Duty Free introduced its 'Finest Surprise' promotion, a 1,000 ticket raffle to win a luxury car.