Staff Report
Dubai Dubai Duty Free (DDF) has recorded a 36 per cent increase in sales during the third quarter of the current year over the same period last year, with individual categories showing increases of more than 50 per cent.
Total sales reached Dh1.26 billion ($350 million), which place the operation well on track for record year-end results.
Shaikh Ahmad Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation, said: "Sales at Dubai Duty Free have consistently grown throughout the year and annual sales are expected to reach $500 million, which represents an increase of 30 per cent over last year."
Major category growth can be seen across most sectors. Sales of gold, which currently accounts for 11 per cent of total DDF sales, have increased by an impressive 40 per cent.
Meanwhile, perfumes, which account for 12 per cent of sales rose by 41 per cent in the first nine months of the year. Cosmetics sales rose by 70 per cent, sunglasses by 50 per cent, cameras and accessories by 64 per cent. Colm McLoughlin, DDF's managing director, said: "A number of factors are driving the increasing sales figures, including the opening of new shops that have dramatically improved the central retail area in Shaikh Rashid Terminal. In the past year alone, we opened a new gold shop, a new watch shop and the shop selling gifts from Dubai."
Currently positioned as number three in the world in terms of turnover, DDF sells more goods to more customers than most other duty free operations in the world.
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