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Pictured from top to bottom: The successful Ghweifat land border store; the successful new joint venture pharmacy outlet; and a Nissan Patrol luxury 4×4 for the lucky winner of the airport retailer’s latest raffle |
UAE. Abu Dhabi Duty Free is to expand and revamp the Ghweifat border duty free shop in coming months.
The initiative is a response to the growing number of travellers who pass through the border crossing between the UAE and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia each year.
The Ghweifat outlet opened in 2002. Since then more than 1.6 million people have been passing through the area each year. “This number is rapidly increasing and it has become necessary to begin planning a sizeable expansion,” the retailer said.
Included in the growing number of travellers are Arab pilgrims who travel to Saudi Arabia for Haj or Umrah; Arab expatriates who go home for annual holidays; visitors from neighbouring Arab countries who come to the UAE to attend festivals; and tourists who pass through the UAE on holiday.
The land border facility features a 375sq m duty free retail outlet selling top brand perfumes, jewellery, tobacco products, confectionery, watches, electronics, leather goods, cameras, household appliances, audio/video, toys, sports goods and luggage. It also features foodstuffs, toiletries and other daily necessities at duty free prices. Arabic souvenirs have been specially designed and manufactured and are available for tourists wanting to take something local home.
Additionally Ghweifat Duty Free offers car accessories and ice. And it has a 110sq m hexagonal restaurant, which can seat up to 60 people and has a spacious open air terrace. A 50 meter prayer area with all the necessary conveniences has been opened for the public at the border.
Another luxury car raffle for airport visitors
In related news Abu Dhabi Duty Free has unveiled a new car raffle for all visitors to Abu Dhabi International Airport. Tickets, costing AED100, put entrants into the draw for a Nissan Patrol luxury 4×4 (pictured).
The odds of winning are good as only 3,000 tickets will be sold. Tickets are available at Abu Dhabi Duty Free, the City Terminal, Abu Dhabi Duty Free landside shops or online by clicking on to www.addf.ae.
Online ticket sales for the Mercedes C200K and Mercedes CLS350 car raffles have shown a marked increase over the past few months, the retailer said. Ticket sales for the Mercedes C200K for the first six months of 2005 show an increase of 60.7% against the same period last year. Online sales for the Big Ticket, in which a AED1,000,000 can be won, have increased by +36.6% in the same time frame.
Pharmacy joint venture prospers
A joint venture between Abu Dhabi Duty Free and the Bin Sina Pharmaceutical group has proved to be highly successful, with sales in the newly established Bina Sina pharmacy soaring.
Sales at the 25sq m Bin Sina Pharmacy, which was opened at Abu Dhabi International Airport, have exceeded all expectations, said Abu Dhabi Duty Free. Turnover is up by +63% per month since the outlet’s inception late last year. Today it boasts an impressive US$20 spend per head.
Travellers can purchase prescription pharmaceuticals and medicines over the counter 24 hours a day. Abu Dhabi Duty Free Managing Director Mohamed Mounib said that Abu Dhabi International Airport was the first airport in the Middle East to open such an establishment. “We saw a need for such a facility for international customers and with the support from the Ministry of Health we reached an agreement to work with Bin Sina. We are delighted with the results to date and that we have once again provided a first within our retail environment for our customers,” he said.
A highly-trained pharmacist is available for advice or assistance to passengers. Essentials such as toiletries, cosmetics and a range of vitamin and health products are available. Bin Sina also stocks an advanced range of heart rate and blood pressure monitoring equipment.
