IRAQ. Saturday (18 May) was a red-letter day for Iraq Duty Free as it celebrated the much-anticipated reopening of the Babylon Duty Free shop at Baghdad International Airport’s international departures terminal.
The official opening was graced by several VIPs including General Company for Airports and Air Navigation Management General Manager Abbas Saber Al-Baydhani; General Company for Central Markets General Manager Zahra Al-Shaibani; and Iraq Duty Free CEO Ahmed Kamal Al Zubaidy.
The shop has undergone comprehensive changes in terms of design, category set-up and visibility. This has granted travellers much-enhanced access to all perfumes & cosmetics brands with prime positioning given to key brands near the shop façade.
Other categories, including confectionery, tobacco, liquor and luggage have been moved further within the store, all enjoying strong visibility.
The opening carries extra significance as it represents the first renovation to take place since recent changes to how Iraq’s aviation-related business are managed.
The Iraqi Civil Aviation Authority was replaced in February by a newly formed entity known as General Company for Airports and Air Navigation Management.
The reopening is one of several recent or planned major developments by Iraq Duty Free. As reported, the retailer is set to expand its downtown duty-free business with a shop in Al-Karkh on the western side of Baghdad, its second off-airport location in the Iraq capital. Construction work will begin soon.
Iraq Duty Free opened a 500sq m downtown store in central Baghdad in May 2022. The retailer plans to open further downtown stores nationwide in coming years.
Iraq Duty Free is also preparing to renovate the Baghdad International Airport Samarra arrivals duty-free store later this year and its Basra International Airport operation.
Also on the horizon are openings at new airports including Kirkuk, Mosul, Al Najaf and Al Nasiriyah. In these locations Iraq Duty Free will develop new stores under an exclusive contract with the government that extends to 2028 with an option to extend beyond this date. ✈
PICTURE GALLERY: BABYLON DUTY FREE STORE SPRINGS TO LIFE
