Traditionally, Deira was the central business district of Dubai. Being home to many traditional retail areas such as the Gold, Perfume, and Spice Souks, Deira Dubai received a lot of interest from the business community. Deira Dubai now hosts offices with smaller floor plans and lower rents which makes it desirable for smaller businesses and new trading companies with DED licenses. Modern office space is available with close proximity to many amenities including the Dubai government offices.
The world-famous Dubai Airport Free Zone is also located in Deira Dubai, which is known to provide state-of-the-art modern office spaces including meeting rooms, a business park, retail outlets and conference halls for business and trade persons. Deira Dubai is home to several government and municipal buildings primarily located around Union Square with many foreign embassies also nearby. Notable landmarks in Deira include the Clock Tower, Shindagha Tunnel, and the Al Maktoum and Al Garhoud Bridges.