Now Indian tourists don’t have to convert the Indian rupee while shopping at Dubai duty free outlets. As Starting July 1, all Dubai Duty – Free stores have begun accepting the Indian rupee for financial transactions. While travelling abroad, residents of India are allowed to carry Rs 25,000. Earlier, Indian travellers had to convert the Rupee into Dollar, Dirham or Euro. However, the change will still be given in Dirham. The Indian rupee has become the 16th currency to be accepted for transaction at Dubai Duty-Free since its inception in December 1983.
Confirming the news, Duty Free officials released a statement stating Dubai Duty Free started accepting Indian rupee on July 1 and the rupee will be accepted in all point of sales (POS) of Dubai Duty Free in Terminal 3, Terminal 1, Terminal 2 of Dubai International Airport and in Al Maktoum International Airport.
The statement added, “At present the following denominations are being accepted: 100s, 200s, 500s (only the new one as earlier one is out of circulation) and 2000’s.”
Dubai Duty Free recorded an annual sales of US$2.015 billion with Indian passengers account for 18 per cent of its business in 2018. Dubai Duty Free at present employs over 6,000 staff hailing from 47 different countries, with Indians as the second biggest groups of employees. About 90 million passengers passed through Dubai aiports in 2018. Of them, 12.2 million were Indians. Most of the passengers came from the Indian cities of Mumbai, Delhi and Cochin.
The acceptance of Indian currency is good news for tourists from India as earlier they lost a sizeable amount due to exchange rates, sources said.
