Dubai Duty Free (DDF) has reported a +10% sales increase for the first half of the year with turnover reaching $1bn. According to the retailer, this puts it on track to reach $2bn by the end of the year.

Speaking as part of an interview to be featured in the Top 10 Airports issue of TRBusiness in August, Colm Mcloughlin, Executive Vice Chairman and CEO of Dubai Duty Free, says the company is enjoying a ‘fantastic year’ and that sales rose +9% between January and May to $853.65m.

Liquor, perfumes and tobacco retained the top-three category positions with liquor showing a +7% year to date (YTD) increase amounting to $151.55m. Perfumes, which account for 15% of total sales reached $146.46m.

Tobacco sales increased by 36% over last year. Other notable sales increases were seen in cosmetics which rose by 27% and electronics by 25% YTD. In the first six months, DDF recorded 12,769,905 individual sales transactions with average daily sales of $5.6m.

DOUBLE-DIGIT INCREASE

McLoughlin said: “We have continuously grown our business and are happy to see a double-digit increase for the first half. With new retail areas now operational and ongoing retail developments coming on stream at Dubai International (DXB) and Al Maktoum International (AMIA) we are confident of reaching the $2bn mark at the end of December, which also marks our 35th anniversary.”

Accounting for 88% of total revenue, retail sales in departures at DXB and AMIA show an 11% increase over the same period last year reaching $889.35m.

Meanwhile, sales across all concourses have registered significant increases. Overall sales in Concourse C in Terminal 3 are up +60% over last year, mainly as a result of new retail areas opened in recent months. In addition, Concourse A sales are up by 16%, Terminal 2 departure sales by 14%, Concourse D sales by 8% and Concourse B sales by 6%.

The ongoing major refurbishment of Concourse C, which features newly opened watches and electronics shops, will be completed by the end of the year and cover 4,700sq m.

Meanwhile, the redevelopment of the existing departures area in the AMIA passenger terminal building was recently completed. This includes a new and refurbished Gifts from Dubai shop along with electronics, perfumes & cosmetics and liquor and tobacco stores.

By the end of the year, DDF at AMIA will have grown 4,500sq m in retail space from the previous 2,500sq m.

CONTINUED RECRUITMENT

On a separate note, recruitment at DDF continued in the second quarter of 2018 bringing the total number of employees to 6,070. This includes 783 Chinese staff representing 13% of total manpower.

Dubai Duty Free recruited its first Chinese employee in 2006 and has welcomed 190 staff from China this year alone. This is to cater to the growing number of Chinese travellers who account for 15 % of total sales.

In addition, DDF is continuing with its busy events and promotional calendar, which includes the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup taking place at the Ascot Racecourse on 11 August. This is followed by the Dubai Duty Free International Weekend on 21 and 22 September at Newbury Racecourse.