UAE. With just three days of trading to go before year-end, Dubai Duty Free is set to achieve around US$1.1 billion in sales for 2008. The company looks back on 12 months of high achievement, as it celebrates 25 years of operations. Below, we present highlights of another landmark year for one of the world’s leading travel retailers.
January 2008
• Dubai Duty Free announced record sales of US$880 million for 2007, representing a +23% increase over the previous year
• Dubai Duty Free received the inaugural duty free award from Global Traveler for “˜Best Duty Free Shops’ category.
• Dubai Duty Free supported the 13th running of Dubai Shopping Festival as Key Sponsor for the fifth consecutive year.
 |
The perfect draw: Tiger Woods picks out the latest winner in the Dubai Duty Free Finest Surprise in February. Senior executives from Dubai Duty Free, including Managing Director, Colm McLoughlin; Deputy Managing Director, George Horan; Salah Tahlak and Sinead El Sibai enjoy the moment as Tiger tries to read the name of the lucky winner |
February
• Dubai Duty Free once again supported the Dubai Desert Classic which was won in a nail-biting finish by Tiger Woods.
• The Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships got underway with a line-up of players featuring nine of the top 10 women and eight of the top 10 men.
March
• The 15th Dubai Duty Free Men’s Open was won by Andy Roddick who made his debut in Dubai; and Elena Demetieva captured her first Dubai Duty Free Women’s Open title.
• Dubai Duty Free was awarded with “˜Superbrand” status for the third time, presented by the Superbrands Council in the UAE.
• Dubai Duty Free continued as a major sponsor of the Dubai World Cup, the richest horse race in the world. The Group 1 Dubai Duty Free Race, which offers US$5 million in prize money, was won in style by Jay Peg.
April
• Dubai Duty Free announced the multi-million euro sponsorship in Ireland as Title Sponsor of the Irish Derby for the next five years.
• Dubai Duty Free returned to Newbury for the 13th running of the Dubai Duty Free International Stakes.
• First quarter sales reached US$266 million representing an impressive +31% rise over the same period in 2007.
• Perfume remains in the top spot with sales of over US$37 million in the first quarter of 2008 – representing a +30% increase in sales over the first quarter of 2007.
• Staffing levels increased to 3,000 as the operation gears up for the opening of Concourse 2 and Terminal 3.
• Signed an agreement to sponsor the Motion Picture “City of Life” between Dubai Airports Company and AFM Films.
May
• Dubai Duty Free received the “Middle East Travel Retailer of the Year” award for the ninth consecutive year at the DFNI Asia Pacific Awards in Singapore.
• Dubai Duty Free participated in the Arabian Travel Market 2008, the region’s leading travel exhibition.
• Dubai Duty Free won an award for “˜Best Duty Free Shopping” for the seventh consecutive year at the Business Traveller Middle East Awards.
• George Horan, Deputy Managing Director of Dubai Duty Free, was inducted as “˜Keeper of the Quaich’ by the Scotch Whisky Society at a ceremony held in the Highlands of Scotland.
• Organised the 13th Dubai Duty Free UAE National Cup held at the Emirates Golf Club.
 |
Dubai Duty Free sponsors the Irish Derby in June: Managing Director Colm McLoughlin (left) with winning jockey Seamus Heffernan, Irish Taoiseach Brian Cowan and winning trainer Aidan O’Brien |
June
• Colm McLoughlin became one of the latest members selected by the US-based Emerald Who’s Who for Executives and Professionals.
• Dubai Duty Free supported the Dubai Summer Surprise promotion which attracted record visitors to Dubai during the summer months.
• Dubai Duty Free’s new purpose-built Distribution Centre came into operation. The 27,000sq m, semi-automated facility will become the retail operation’s centralised warehouse and distribution centre by the end of the year.
• Dubai Tennis Championships was presented with “˜Media Operations Award of Excellence’ presented by the ATP International Group.
• The inaugural Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby was staged at the Curragh Racecourse and won by Frozen Fire.
• Organised the 16th Dubai Duty Free Golf Cup held at the Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club.
• Sponsored the 7th Airport Show held at the Dubai International Exhibition Centre.
July
• Half year sales reached US$537 million representing a +31% increase over the same period last year.
• Dubai Duty Free once again returned to the Curragh in Ireland where the operation sponsored the €75,000 Anglesey Stakes.
August
• Dubai Duty Free returned to Ascot Racecourse for the Shergar Cup where the operation announced a further five year sponsorship agreement for Britain’s only team racing event.
• Dubai Duty Free’s office staff move into the new 6,000sq m Head Office, located next to the Distribution Centre in Ramoul.
• Public Shop 11 at Terminal 3 opened to customers
September
• 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.
• The 11th Dubai Duty Free UGA Seniors Cup was held at the Arabian Ranches Golf Club.
 |
The senior management team of Dubai Duty Free at the new retail operation in Emirates Terminal 3 in October |
October
• Sales up to the end of September reached US$781 million.
• Emirates Terminal 3 opened on 14 October providing Dubai Duty Free with over 10,000sq m of retail space.
• Dubai Duty Free launched its 25th Anniversary book, Fly Buy Dubai, and the accompany documentary which highlights the development of the industry and the evolution of the operation over the past quarter century.
• Launch of the Dubai Duty Free Multi-Millionaire promotion with US$5 million prize money.
• Supports the Will To Win Tennis Triangular Grand Prix 2008, Dubai – London – New York.
November
• Dubai Duty Free hosted the 16th Golf World Cup and attracted over 100 overseas representatives from the global duty free industry.
• Dubai Duty Free supported the MEDFA conference held in Abu Dhabi.
• Sponsored the Welsh team at the Dubai Rugby 7’s held at the Emirates Sports Complex in Dubailand.
• Organised the ITF Dubai Aviation Cup held at the Dubai Tennis Stadium.
• Silver sponsor of the Emirates NBD The Legends “˜Rock’ Dubai, the leading seniors tennis event in the Middle East, introduced in 2005.
 |
Literally and metaphorically the icing on the cake as Dubai Duty Free celebrates its 25th anniversary |
 |
Staff in the Sheikh Rashid Terminal capture the happy spirit of the 25th anniversary |
December
• Dubai Duty Free was once again a principal sponsor of the 5th Dubai International Film Festival.
• Dubai International Powerboat Race received support from Dubai Duty Free.
• Dubai Duty Free supported the Dubai Ladies Masters of the Ladies European Tour for the third consecutive year.
• Dubai Duty Free marked its 25th Anniversary on December 20th with a 25% discount offer and sales reach an unprecedented AED71 million (US$20 million), while daily sales transactions rose to 130,000. The record-breaking figure equals the operation’s first full year of sales in 1984.
• Dubai Duty Free year end sales forecast to reach US$1.1 billion.
MORE STORIES ON DUBAI DUTY FREE
The Moodie Report PLUS – Dubai Duty Free celebrates 25 years of retail excellence – 23/12/08
Stunning category performances drive Dubai Duty Free’s anniversary sales to new heights – 23/12/08
Dubai Duty Free generates record-breaking daily sales on 25th anniversary – 21/12/08
