UAE. Despite another challenging year in the face of COVID-19, Dubai Duty Free has maintained investment in its retail estate at Dubai International (DXB) and in its marketing activities that promote Dubai as a destination. With the business on track to reach around US$960 million in 2021 sales, Dubai Duty Free lists some of the milestone moments of the past 12 months.
JANUARY
- Dubai Duty Free supported the 26th running of the Dubai Shopping Festival as a Strategic Partner for the 16th consecutive year.
- Dubai Duty Free supported the Omega Dubai Desert Classic, which was won by British player Paul Casey, his 15th European Tour title since 2001.
FEBRUARY
- Dubai Duty Free supported the 13th Emirates Airline International Festival of Literature attended by leading authors.
- The 29th Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships was held behind closed doors as per the guidelines of the UAE authorities, and carried a prize pot of US$3.6 million. The WTA week was won by two-time Grand Slam winner and former World No.1 Garbiñe Muguruza, while wild card entrant, Aslan Karatsev (pictured above left), won his first ATP title.
MARCH
- Dubai Duty Free sponsored the Dubai Irish Golf Society (DIGS) annual Mark Fahy Memorial Golf Tournament at the Jumeirah Golf Estates which was won by William Joyce.
APRIL
- The 26th staging of the Dubai Duty Free UAE Nationals Cup attracted a strong field of players from all age ranges and was won by Rashid Al Jassmy.
- Dubai Duty Free, through its own Foundation, donated AED3 million to the 100 Million Meals campaign, aimed at providing food parcels for disadvantaged individuals and families across 20 countries in the Middle East, Asia, and Africa during the Holy Month of Ramadan.
- Dubai Duty Free sponsored the first of the two race meetings at Newbury Racecourse, which saw two days of high-class racing action.
- Dubai Duty Free supported the NAS Ramadan Sports Tournament as Platinum sponsor and participated in three sporting events.
- As part of the development of its retail offer, Dubai Duty Free opened a 243sq m forecourt public shop (below) at DXB Terminal 3.
MAY
- For the 20th consecutive year, Dubai Duty Free received the ‘Best Airport for Duty Free Shopping in the Middle East’ at the Business Traveller Middle East Awards at a ceremony held online.
JUNE
- As part of its celebration of World Environment Day, Dubai Duty Free launched a significant environmental initiative; the Dubai Duty Free Ecosystem Restoration Journey – ‘Plant a Tree, Plant a Legacy’.
- Dubai Duty Free hosted the 27th annual Dubai Duty Free Golf Cup at the Fire Course of Jumeirah Golf Estates, won by Mick Cairns.
- At the virtual award ceremony for the DFNI-Frontier Asia Pacific Awards, Dubai Duty Free won in the category ‘Exceptional Achievement by an Airport Retailer in the Middle East’. The award marked the retailer’s 20th win in this category, which was previously titled Middle East Airport Travel Retailer of the Year.
- 26 June saw the 15th running of the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at The Curragh Racecourse, which marked the return of spectators to sports in Ireland. The event was won by Godolphin’s Hurricane Lane ridden by jockey William Buick.
JULY
- Dubai Duty Free supported the 24th running of the Dubai Summer Surprises as a Strategic Partner for the 17th consecutive year.
- Dubai Duty Free returned to Ireland for the 7th Dubai Duty Free Irish Open which was held at Mount Juliet Estate and Golf Club and won by Australian golfer Lucas Herbert.
AUGUST
- Colm McLoughlin was named as one of the 100 Images RetailME ICONS at a celebration and awards gala held at JW Marriott Marquis Hotel, Dubai.
- Dubai Duty Free returned to Ascot Racecourse for the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup, the world’s premier international jockeys’ competition, which was won for the third time by The Ladies Team.
- At the virtual summit for the 14th edition of Asia Africa Business and Social Forum 2021, Colm McLoughlin was named one of the recipients of the AsiaOne COVID-19 Commitment Award.
SEPTEMBER
- As an airport retail partner, Dubai Duty Free opened an EXPO 2020 official store in Concourse B at Dubai International Airport (above).
- Dubai Duty Free ended its racing season at Newbury with the two-day flat racing festival, the Dubai Duty Free International Weekend, with the main event won by Clive Cox-trained Wings of War.
- Dubai Airports and Dubai Duty Free won the global edition of the TR Business Travel Retail Awards as ‘Best Airport Voted by Millennials’.
OCTOBER
- The Irish Village, which is part of the Dubai Duty Free Leisure division, opened in Jubilee Park at EXPO 2020.
- Dubai Duty Free signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the UAE Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratization (MOHRE) to offer exclusive benefits to UAE Nationals working in the private sector under the Ministry’s Absher Initiative.
- Dubai Duty Free started accepting Russia’s MIR card as part of an exclusive agreement between Network International and MIR.
- As part of the second The Moodie Davitt Virtual Travel Retail Expo, Dubai Duty Free won four awards in the inaugural Travel Retail Superstars Awards including Star Team – Shopfloor for Brand Ambassadors (Pernod Ricard); Star Team – Back Office for the Operations and HR Team; Star Individual – Shop Floor for Sales Assistant Ali Attia Ali Elsayed and Innovation – Back Office for the IT Team for the Home Delivery Specials service.
- At the same event, Dubai Duty Free also won two awards at The Moodies Travel Journey Digital Awards. These included Best Creativity and Innovation during Covid-19 for the Home Delivery Specials service and Best Use of Social Platforms.
- Dubai Duty Free opened a 100sq m Christian Dior in Concourse B at Dubai International Airport.
- At the Frontier Awards ceremony in Cannes, Dubai Duty Free won its record tenth Airport Retailer of the Year Award.
- Dubai Duty Free supported the Dubai Moonlight Classic, which was won by British player Bronte Law.
NOVEMBER
- The Irish Village celebrated 25 years of hospitality since opening in October 1996.
- Dubai Duty Free supported the Dubai Airshow and co-sponsored the Gala Dinner with a special performance by The Script, which was held at Atlantis, The Palm.
- Dubai Duty Free was the official event supporter of the DP World Tour Championship – Race to Dubai which took place at the Jumeirah Golf Estates and was won by Collin Morikawa.
- Dubai Duty Free supported the two-day annual MEADFA Conference held at Jumeirah Creekside Hotel in Dubai and played host to all delegates and guests at a Gala Dinner on the first day.
- Colm McLoughlin was honoured with a ‘Lifetime Achievement’ award at the Gulf Business Awards held at Central Park Towers in Dubai International Financial Centre.
- Dubai Duty Free hosted the 28th Dubai Duty Free Golf World Cup, with over 80 overseas and local representatives from the global duty free industry; it was won by MMI’s Marius Fouché.
DECEMBER
- Dubai Duty Free supported the Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby 7’s.
- Dubai Duty Free maintained its sponsorship of the Dubai Duty Free Sailing League Regatta which took place at Dubai Offshore Sailing Club.
- Dubai Duty Free was a presenting sponsor of the 8th Dublin Arabic Film Festival (DAFF) which was held online for the first time due to ongoing threat of the Covid-19 pandemic.
- At the annual Global Traveler – GT Tested Reader Survey Awards held in Los Angeles, California, Dubai Duty Free was named ‘Best Duty Free Shopping in the World’ for the 15th consecutive year by the publishers of US-based magazine Global Traveler. The win also gave the retailer a Crystal Status award.
- Dubai Duty Free marked its 38th anniversary with a -25% discount offer on a wide range of merchandise from 18-20 December and achieved sales of AED87 million (US$23.878 million) over three days.
- A second 100sq m Christian Dior boutique opened in Concourse A at Dubai International Airport.
- Dubai Duty Free opened a 254sq m Louis Vuitton shop in Concourse B.
- Dubai Duty Free is expected to end the year with sales of AED3.5 billion or around US$960 million.
