According to an Emirates Industrial Bank report, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) imported leather and sports footwear worth Dh750 million ($200 million) in 2005, compared with Dh270 million in 2000, a growth of around 300% in the last five years, led by demand for leather shoes. The increase in demand has been attributed to the rapidly growing population and an increasing number of tourist shoppers, who constitute 30-40% of footwear sales.

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