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Dubai Duty Free is on track for another record year |
UAE. As Dubai Duty Free heads for a record US$1.6 billion in sales in 2012, the company has reflected on a strong performance and key highlights from 2012. We review the retailer’s performance month by month as it homes in on another all-time sales high for the year.
January 2012
• The operation announced year-end sales of US$1.46 billion in 2011, representing a +15.69% increase over 2010.
• Dubai Duty Free supported the 17th running of the Dubai Shopping Festival as a Strategic Partner for the seventh consecutive year.
• The company was presented with the “˜Best Stakeholders Team’ at the HSE Excellence Award for Contractors based on its participation in Dubai Airports Clean-Up Day.
• Dubai Duty Free sponsored the Dubai World Carnival held at Meydan Racecourse.
February 2012
• Colm McLoughlin was honoured by his Alma Mater with the Garbally Alumni Awards along with his two brothers, Ray and Feidlim McLoughlin.
• Dubai Duty Free once again supported the Omega Dubai Desert Classic which was won by Spain’s Rafael Cabrera-Bello.
• The Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships WTA week was won by Agnieszka Radwanska while Roger Federer won his fifth Dubai title.
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H.H. Sheikh Mohammed with Colm McLoughlin at the Dubai Tennis Championships |
• Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic celebrated 20 years of ATP tennis in Dubai on the Burj Al Arab Helipad decorated to mark the occasion.
• The Dubai Duty Free Men’s Open 2011 was named “˜The ATP World Tour 500 – Tournament of the Year’ in the ATP International Group.
March 2012
• Dubai Duty Free supported the fourth Emirates Airline International Festival of Literature attended by world-renowned authors.
• The retailer sponsored the US$5 million Dubai Duty Free Race (Group 1) held during the Dubai World Cup, the richest horse race meeting in the world. The DDF race was won by Cityscape ridden by James Doyle.
• Dubai Duty Free recorded first quarter sales of US$390 million, representing a +14% increase over the same period last year.
April 2012
• Colm McLoughlin was presented with the 25th Anniversary DFNI “˜Lifetime Achievement Award’ for his outstanding contribution to the travel retail industry.
• Dubai Duty Free returned to Newbury Racecourse for the 16th running of the two-day Dubai Duty Free Stakes which was graced for the fourth consecutive year by Her Majesty the Queen.
• The company presented Her Majesty The Queen with a bronze model of the Darley Arabian to mark her Diamond Jubilee.
• Dubai Duty Free supported the Mixed Greensomes Open and the St. Patrick’s Day Dubai Irish Golf Society tournament.
• Dubai Duty Free was honoured once again at the Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Patrons of the Arts Awards 2012 as a “˜Patron of the Arts’, in recognition of the operation’s contribution towards cultural and arts initiatives in Dubai.
• For the 11th consecutive year, Dubai Duty Free received the “˜Best Duty Free Shopping Award’ at the Business Traveller Middle East awards ceremony.
May 2012
• Dubai Duty Free was presented with the DFNI Awards for “˜Middle East Travel Retailer of the Year’ for the twelfth time.
• The company organised the 17th DDF UAE Nationals Cup held at Emirates Golf Club.
• Dubai Duty Free participated in Arabian Travel Market in Dubai.
June 2012
• Dubai Duty Free recorded sales of US$772 million for the first half of the year, representing an +11% increase over the same period in 2011.
• The fifth Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby held at the Curragh Racecourse attracted a huge crowd of spectators and international TV exposure. The title race was won in spectacular style by Camelot, trained by Aidan O’Brien.
• Dubai Duty Free sponsored the Dubai Summer Surprises and offered travellers a chance to win Dhs100,000 in shopping vouchers.
• Dubai Duty Free organised the 20th DDF Golf Cup held at DCGYC.
July 2012
• The Dubai Duty Free-owned 5-star hotel, the Jumeirah Creekside, welcomed its first guests on 1 July. The hotel, managed by Jumeirah Group, has 292 guest rooms made up of suites, executive standard rooms along with full ancillary F&B and meeting facilities.
• Dubai Duty Free’s first foray into border shop retailing began with the official inauguration of its Hatta border shop, located next to the Customs and Immigration offices at the Hatta-Oman border.
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The Dubai Duty Free-owned Jumeirah Creekside Hotel opens in July |
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The inauguration of the Hatta border store, on the frontier with Oman |
August 2012
• Dubai Duty Free returned for the 12th running of the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup at Ascot Racecourse, which was won by the Rest of the World Team.
September 2012
• Dubai Duty Free sponsored the National Showjumping Championships held in Co. Clare, Ireland.
• The retailer flew the flag at Newbury for a second time in the year for the Dubai Duty Free International Raceday.
• The 15th Dubai Duty Free UGA Seniors Cup was held at the Arabian Ranches Golf Club.
• Sales up to the end of September reached an impressive US$1.14 billion, representing a +10% increase over the same period last year.
• At the second Asian Leadership Awards Dubai Duty Free’s Executive Vice Chairman, Colm McLoughlin, received a Lifetime Achievement Award while Dubai Duty Free received the “˜Operational Excellence Award’.
October 2012
• Dubai Duty Free sponsored the World Energy forum for the first time held outside the US at DWTC attended by world leaders.
• Dubai Duty Free was presented with the top prize for “˜Best Airport Retailer of the Year’ at the Frontier Awards held in Cannes.
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Dubai Duty Free staff and management celebrate their Frontier Award |
• Dubai Duty Free was recognised in this year’s GFCC, The “˜Best Practice Report’ Innovation Capacity: Best Practices in Competitiveness Strategy, held in the Middle East for the first time.
November 2012
• Dubai Duty Free supported the Middle East Exclusive and MEDFA conference attended by executives from the duty free industry
• The company sponsored the Dubai World Championship – Race to Dubai held at Jumeirah Golf Estates.
• Dubai Duty Free hosted the 20th Dubai Duty Free Golf World Cup, which attracted over 100 overseas representatives from the global duty free industry.
• Colm McLoughlin was honoured with the “˜Lifetime Achievement’ at the Esquire’s Man At His Best Awards for his outstanding contribution to the travel retail industry.
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Colm McLoughlin is honoured with an Esquire award in November |
December 2012
• Dubai Duty Free teamed up with The Irish Village to sponsor the Scottish team at the Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby 7s.
• The company was a patron sponsor of the Omega Dubai Ladies Masters which was won by Shanshan Feng.
• Dubai Duty Free was a Diamond sponsor of the Dubai World Parachuting Championship being staged in Dubai for the first time.
• The retailer was a Principal sponsor of the ninth Dubai International Film Festival which attracted film stars including Cate Blanchett and tennis superstar and DDF Brand Ambassadress Ana Ivanovic.
• Dubai Duty Free was presented with the “˜Best Duty Free Shops’ award by the publishers of US-based magazine Global Traveler for the sixth time.
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Dubai Civil Aviation Authority President and Dubai Duty Free Chairman HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum (left) and Dubai Duty Free Executive Vice Chairman Colm McLoughlin with the Global Traveler Award 2012 for “˜Best Duty Free Shops’ |
• Dubai Duty Free sponsored the Skydive Dubai & Dubai Duty Free Grand Prix offshore powerboat race held at DIMC.
• The company marked its 29th Anniversary on 20 December with -25% discount offer on a wide range of merchandise, with the daily sales reaching Dhs76.91 million (US$21 million) in the 24-hour period.
• Dubai Duty Free is expecting year-end sales close to Dhs5.9 billion (US$1.6 billion).
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In early 2013 the retailer’s space will be expanded further with the Concourse A opening |
