Our regular feature, brought to you in association with Strange Nature Gin from New Zealand, celebrates memorable scenes, moments, launches and campaigns related to the global aviation and travel retail sphere.
UAE. Today’s selection comes from Dubai International Airport (DXB) where Dubai Duty Free has completed an ambitious and impressive refurbishment of its Concourse B East and West liquor and tobacco stores, writes Martin Moodie.
I walked the new-look shops this week during a film interview with Dubai Duty Free’s newly promoted Managing Director Ramesh Cidambi, who officially assumed the leadership reins on 1 June following the recent retirement of his predecessor Colm McLoughlin.
“Concourse B is our busiest concourse. These two shops [East and West] collectively do about AED1 million (US$272,000) a day,” Cidambi told The Moodie Davitt Report. “Each of them does around 1,500 [daily] transactions.”
Summing up the key changes in the East store (largely mirrored in the west equivalent), Cidambi commented: “The shop is absolutely beautiful. We have made very good use of digital – the whole fascia is digital.
“We have lightened the colours in the shop in terms of the flooring, backwalls and furniture… and have given greater freedom and flexibility to the brands in expressing themselves.
“Even though the area did not change when we did the renovation, you have a greater feeling of space, with better lighting, lighter colours, better circulation areas, and enhanced opportunities for the brands in terms of more promotional areas. There is also better organisation in terms of the cash registers, including self-service options.”
Look out for my combined written and film interview with Ramesh Cidambi next week. ✈
DUBAI DUTY FREE CONCOURSE B EAST LIQUOR & TOBACCO
DUBAI DUTY FREE CONCOURSE B WEST LIQUOR & TOBACCO
