QATAR. Much was made during TFWA World Exhibition in Cannes last week of the association’s commendable Innovation Square initiative (where Avolta was the lead partner) but some 800 metres away along Boulevard de la Croisette in the swanky surrounds of the Carlton Hotel a whole swathe of innovation was wowing visitors.
The host was Qatar Duty Free (QDF), the 2025 Frontier Airport Retailer of the Year, which demonstrated its commitment to shaping the future of the channel by unveiling what it dubs with much justification a suite of ‘ground-breaking’ technology solutions to its brand partners.
Talking points: How the Doha ‘Trinity’ is reshaping the travel retail opportunity
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Centred around the integration of cutting-edge data, AI, and personalisation, the advancements on show were designed to underline QDF’s position as the industry’s digital pioneer – “pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in travel retail”, as the company puts it.
Leading With Insight: The Power of 36Q
Central to QDF’s digital strategy is the 36Q platform, unveiled at The Trinity Forum in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam last year.
The platform, described as an industry-first data engine that provides a deep, real-time understanding of every passenger’s journey, harnesses the combined power of Qatar Airways, Hamad International Airport and Qatar Duty Free.
36Q aggregates and analyses passenger profiles, shopping behaviour and purchase preferences. Brand partners subscribing to the platform can precisely tailor their offerings and promotions, ensuring commercial impact and a more relevant traveller experience, QDF pledges.
The programme is still evolving. Recent enhancements with 36Q 2.0 introduce richer usability and data granularity. Partners can toggle between sales metrics, filter by subcategory or brand, and benefit from visually intuitive dashboards.
A new feedback feature puts continuous improvement directly in the hands of QDF’s community, driving ever-closer alignment between partners and consumer needs.
Real-Time Shopper Understanding: Zoning Cameras
Raising the bar beyond analytics, QDF has also introduced zoning cameras – real-time tech that maps passenger movement and engagement across retail spaces.
Also leveraging Doha’s unique ‘Trinity’ model (airport, airline and retailer under common ownership), the innovation taps into Hamad International Airport’s existing camera network to enable brands to see exactly how shoppers interact with displays, what holds their attention, and what prompts conversion at checkout.
These actionable insights drive immediate improvements to store layouts and promotional activity, maximising impact for every brand, QDF points out.
Personalisation at Scale: AI-Driven Decision-Making
Another pilot exercise involves is the integration of pioneering AI solutions into the Trinity model to assist operations, power decision-making, and unlock personalisation at every step.
“By harnessing historic data from flight origins, demographic profiles, and spend patterns, opportunities to enhance the passenger journey and commercial optimisation are endless,” QDF comments.
In a classic example of the ‘joined-up’ thinking that comes with the Qatar Airways/Hamad International Airport/Qatar Duty Free Trinity model, testing is underway on the allocation of gates based on the potential spend of the passenger body onboard.
The trial programme is designed to ensure planes are parked close to stores with categories typically desired by the passengers involved – the proximity increasing dwell time and eventual spend.
Equally, the integration of this solution into concourse digital displays and momentary in-store offers is also underway – once again all aligned to the preference, even language, of the passenger passing by.
Seamless Digital Journeys: Ecommerce Innovation
Looking to the future, QDF is transforming the online experience just as much as the in-terminal journey.
Thanks to onboard Starlink connectivity, travellers will soon be able to shop a curated 14,000-product portfolio in the air and click-and-collect on arrival.
QDF’s digital retail offering will embrace frictionless payment options, mobile-first design, and seamless Qatar Airways integration.
Forthcoming phases will launch immersive content, exclusive collaborations, and richer campaign storytelling, ushering in what QDF calls a new era of digital engagement for brands and shoppers alike.
Qatar Airways Group Chief Retail & Hospitality Officer Thabet Musleh comments: “At Qatar Duty Free we are driving innovation every day. Because of our integrated Trinity model, where the airline, airport and retailer move as one, we can make things happen that nobody else in travel retail can pull off.
“The new tech we’ve unveiled – whether it’s 36Q’s real-time data, AI-driven decision making or zoning cameras – means we’re not relying on ever-more passengers to grow the business. Instead, we’re driving spend and conversion, tailoring every moment to the traveller, and helping brands win in ways that simply aren’t possible anywhere else.
“If you’re a brand looking to lead the channel, let’s talk – because at QDF, we’re not just keeping pace with the industry; we’re setting it.” ✈
