"The emergence of Dubai as a leading global aviation centre is the result of a carefully constructed and well-executed model that effectively harnesses the emirate’s geocentric location and entrepreneurial spirit. It is a model that features a liberal regulatory climate, a tax-free business environment, a customer-centric focus that provides value for money, and close coordination and collaboration within the sector."

"The results have been nothing short of impressive. Dubai’s aviation sector has seen tremendous growth in a short time frame. Over the past five years alone, passenger numbers at Dubai International have virtually doubled from 24.8 million in 2005 to 47.2 million in 2010. The airport now ranks fourth globally for international passenger and cargo traffic. Emirates’ passenger numbers have increased six-fold over the course of a decade, making it the largest airline in the world in terms of international revenue passenger kilometres. Dubai Duty Free has become the biggest single airport retail operation in the world, with revenues of US$1.27 billion (AED4.6bn) in 2010. And flydubai is the world’s fastest growing start-up airline, emerging as a force to be reckoned with among low-cost carriers in the region."

"However, while we can reflect on past accomplishments with pride, it is clear that our future holds even greater promise. The combination of rallying tourism, Dubai’s proximity to the emerging economies of India and China, and the emirates’ established role as a trading hub linking economies in the Far East, Europe, Africa and North America, is together expected to drive growth and further elevate Dubai’s status as a global centre for trade, tourism and commerce."

"In fact, projections for growth are staggering. By 2020 some 98.5 million passengers and over four million tonnes of air freight will pass through our airports. The fleets and networks of Emirates and flydubai will grow considerably to accommodate traffic and capture market share. Similarly, our infrastructure must expand to enable this growth and facilitate the trade, tourism and commerce that in turn will support the prosperity of Dubai. This is what our Strategic Plan 2020 sets out to achieve."

HH Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum

President of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and Chairman of Dubai Airports.

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