UAE. Dubai Duty Free is celebrating another milestone year, which will culminate tonight with projected 2007 sales of around US$850 million.
Twelve months ago the retailer was preparing to break the US$700 million sales barrier – eventually recording sales in 2006 of US$712 million. And this time next year it firmly expects to be heralding another milestone – US$1 billion in sales.
2007 was memorable for other reasons too. Dubai Duty Free’s ATP tennis tournaments went from strength to strength – the men’s event was voted Tournament of the Year by the players.
The company also continued its support for other sporting events – notably horse racing in the UK and Ireland – throughout the year; it gave generously to a variety of charities and collected numerous awards for its trading performance during 2007.
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The Dubai Duty Free team celebrates the company’s 24th anniversary on 20 December; a discount of -24% on many items helped drive record daily sales of US$12.8 million, an amazing +58% increase on the previous year |
Here are selected highlights of 2007 at Dubai Duty Free.
January
• Year end sales reached US$712 million
• In the past year, the operation recorded 16 million sales transactions which equates to 44,000 sales transactions per day
• Irish Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Bertie Ahern officially unveiled the sculpture entitled, “˜The Session’ at The Irish Village during his official visit to the UAE
February
• World No.1s Roger Federer and Justine Henin won the Dubai Duty Free Men’s and Women’s Open in 2007 respectively for the fourth time
• Dubai Duty Free awarded an increase prize money for the DTC 2007 tournaments, with both the women’s week and the men’s week offering US$1.5 million each
• Dubai Duty Free received double honour at the GEMAS 2007 (GMR Effectiveness in Marketing Awards)
• Dubai Duty Free once again supported the Dubai Desert Classic which was won in spectacular style by Henrik Stenson
March
• The 15th running of the Dubai Duty Free Men’s Open ran back-to-back with the women’s week and over 140,000 spectators flocked to see the matches
• Colm McLoughlin was presented with an industry first when he received The Moodie Report’s inaugural award for “˜Outstanding Career Contribution to Airport Commercial Business’
• The “˜World Rovers’, a unique book that celebrates the extraordinary Irish influence over the world’s duty free industry was launched at the Irish Village
April
• The Dubai Duty Free Men’s Open 2006 won the prestigious ATP Tour “International Series Gold Tournament of the Year’ for the fourth consecutive year at the “˜Stars for Stars’ Tennis Excellence Awards in Miami.
• Dubai Duty Free returned to Newbury for the 12th running of the Dubai Duty Free International Stakes
• First quarter sales at Dubai Duty Free reached US$203 million representing an impressive +28% increase over the same period in 2006.
• Perfume sales reached over US$27 million in the first quarter of 2007 and represent a +31% increase in sales over first quarter of 2006.
May
• Dubai Duty Free received the Business Traveller Middle East Award for “˜Best Airport for Duty Free Shopping’ for the sixth consecutive year
• Dubai Duty Free participated in the Arabian Travel Market 2007, the region’s leading travel exhibition
• At the Raven Fox Awards – Asia Pacific in Singapore, Dubai Duty Free won the award for “˜Middle East Travel Retailer of the Year’
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Top left: Roger Federer wins the Dubai Duty Free Men’s Open;(Right) HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Airports Company and Chairman & CEO of Emirates Airlines and Colm McLoughlin, Managing Director of Dubai Duty Free, with the 2007 Frontier Award for Airport Retailer of the Year | |
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Dubai Duty Free looks set to achieve a record US$850 million in sales in 2007 | |
June
• Dubai Duty Free launched the Dubai Summer Surprises promotion which offers customers a chance to win Dhs25,000 in DDF gift vouchers each week
• Half year sales reached US$411 million representing a +27% increase over the same period last year
• Right To Play and Dubai Duty Free partner to support the HRH Princess Haya Initiative for the Development of Health, Physical Education & School Sport for a five year partnership
• Dubai Duty Free chooses NCR RealPOS to boost sales performance
• Dubai Duty Free Men’s Open 2006 was once again named by the ATP Tour, as the “˜Tournament of the Year’ at the recent International Series Tournament meetings held in London
July
• Dubai Duty Free once again returned to the Curragh in Ireland where the operations sponsored the €75,000 Anglesey Stakes
August
• Dubai Duty Free returned to Ascot racecourse where the operation took over the title sponsorship of the Shergar Cup
September
• Dubai Duty Free, the owner and organiser of the Dubai Tennis Championships, signed a US$9 million agreement with Barclays that sees Barclays become the title sponsor of the award-winning tournament for the next three years (2008 – 2010 inclusive).
• Dubai Duty Free flew the flag at Newbury for a second time this year, as the operation sponsored a total of 11 races over the two-day race meeting
• Dubai Duty Free received the Business Traveller Award-UK for “˜Best Airport for Duty Fee Shopping’ at a ceremony held in London
October
• Sales up to the end of September reached US$616 million, a +26% increase over the previous year.
• Dubai Duty Free was named “˜Airport Retailer of the Year 2007′ for the fifth time at the prestigious Frontier Awards Gala Dinner held in Cannes
• Dubai Duty Free pledged US5.4 million in support of the Dubai Cares initiative which was launched by H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai.
November
• Dubai Duty Free supported the Clean Up Arabia campaign
• Dubai Duty Free supported the MEDFA conference and the fifth Middle East Exclusive exhibition
• Dubai Duty Free supported the Dubai International Airshow, and was a key organiser of the Airshow Gala Dinner which featured a stunning performance by Diana Ross
December
• Dubai Duty Free hosted the 15th Golf World Cup and attracted over 100 overseas representatives from the global duty free industry
• Dubai Duty Free was a presenting sponsor of the 4th Dubai International Film Festival
• The Dubai Rugby 7’s and the Dubai International Powerboat Race received support from Dubai Duty Free
• Dubai Duty Free supported the 2nd Dubai Ladies Masters which was won by Annika Sorenstam
• Dubai Duty Free marked its 24th Anniversary on December 20th with a 24% discount offer and sales reach an unprecedented Dhs46.2 million (US12.8 million), while daily sales transactions rose to 98,000
• The 24th Anniversary sales figure is 58% higher than the former record day set last December when Dubai Duty Free celebrated its 23rd Anniversary with a -23% discount offer.
• Year end sales are expected to reach US$850 million
MORE STORIES ON DUBAI DUTY FREE
Festive Forecast: Guess Dubai Duty Free’s 24th anniversary sales and win a great prize – 18/12/07
Dubai Duty Free celebrates further Frontier success – 07/11/07
