Dubai Duty Free’s 25% discount 29th Anniversary on 20 December generated sales of $21m in 24 hours with Perfume sales of $5.6m leading the way.

 

Dubai Duty Free (DDF) sold more than 58,000 bottles of Perfume, while Watches & Clocks notched up an impressive $4.9m and Cosmetics came in third with sales of $1.9m.

 

Other significant sales rises were evident in Electronics (+23% to $1.2m); Confectionery (+37% with 134,000 units generating $889,000) and Delicatessen (+17% to $425,000).

 

The special discount day, which has long been a unique feature of DDF’s operation, began at midnight on 19 December and ran right through until midnight closing off Thursday 20 December.

 

ANNIVERSARY DAY IS NOW AN ATTRACTION

Commenting, Colm McLoughlin, Executive Vice Chairman of Dubai Duty Free said: “We are very happy to have achieved $21m in a 24-hour period. I would like to thank everyone for helping us achieve such sales, in particular thanks to our customers for supporting our anniversary day and our staff who do a great job.

 

“We began introducing a discount offer across a wide range of merchandise on our 20th Anniversary in 2003 and it has become a popular day with travellers, some of whom book their flights in order to shop on that day,” he said.

 

Dubai Duty Free is now gearing itself up for a busy 2013. In readiness for the opening of Concourse A in January, it has now recruited 1,053 new staff so far this year and will end the year with around 5,200 employees in total.

 

Of the original 100 staff recruited in 1983, amazingly some 46 continue to work for the company, which continues to operate a successful policy of promoting from within its own ranks.

 

 

[Cake cutting ceremony at Concourse B, with the Dubai Duty Free executive team headed by Colm McLoughlin, Executive Vice Chairman and George Horan, President and staff].