Dubai Duty Free (DDF) has opened a new Terminal 3 arrivals store at Dubai International Airport.

The new arrivals shop has a total retail space of 1,100sq m, a significant increase on the previous retail area of 660sq m. The additional area is mainly in front of the demise line of the old shop.

DDF said the opening marked the next stage of its expansion plan at Dubai International Airport, which includes the second phase refurbishment of the two FoodPlus shops in Concourse B and continued enhancement of its retail offer within the fashion category. This will continue in the second half of the year.

The new arrivals shop has been designed to significantly improve the visibility of the store within the large baggage hall.

Colm McLoughlin, Executive Vice Chairman and CEO, Dubai Duty Free said: “We are very pleased with the outcome of the new arrivals shop and think that our customers are going to love it.

EXTENSIVE PRODUCT OFFER

“Arrivals sales account for 9% of our business and it is a sector we want to grow. A high percentage of our arrivals customers are UAE residents who travel several times a year and they are going to appreciate the new shop for its ease of access, high-end design and extensive products on offer, including travel retail exclusives. We are very excited about this new opening.”

For the first time, the new arrivals shop offers arriving passengers the chance to purchase from the entire Dubai Duty Free liquor range. This features over 2,500 products, including 121 travel retail exclusives and 41 items exclusive to Dubai Duty Free.

Ramesh Cidambi, Chief Operating Officer, Dubai Duty Free, who indicated the opening of the arrivals store was imminent at the recent MEADFA Conference in Muscat, Oman commented: “The new shop is much more visible and passengers will start to see it earlier as they come down the moving walk-ways in the middle of the hall. The combination of strong signage and use of digital screens makes the shop front very attractive.”

He added: “A customer entering the shop will find a great retail offer in the wines and spirits category. Growing this category is important due to the taxation issues around tobacco in arrivals. There are many new retail elements here which have introduced for the first time including a salon area for customers buying premium wines and spirits. These new elements result in a much better retail experience for our customers.”

Each category has been given a “distinct personality” with its own palette of materials and customised designs to enhance the shopping experience.

At the entrance, a striking champagne wall designed by Moet Hennessy for its in-house brands and a generic area for others have been created. A prominent digital screen for features and promotions has also been implemented.

To reflect the growing demand for malt, this category also has a front-of-house feature, allowing customers to easily identify it and to experience a personal service which helps them make informed purchases with confidence. Currently, there are 19 malts which are exclusively available at Dubai Duty Free.

POPULAR GIN CATEGORY

In order to tap into the popularity of the gin category, a new dedicated area called Keep Your Gin Up will eventually comprise over 50 gins, of which 15 will be exclusive to the new arrivals shop. DDF said this area reflected the huge growth of the category as a result of premiumisation and craft brands.

Another personalised area (Here for the Beer) provides additional space for the segment in response to growing demand from discerning customers for light and craft beers. The Heineken back-wall display also draws customers to the rear of the shop as it is clearly visible from the entrance. Eight of the new beer products will only be available in the arrivals shop.

A Happy Landing Bar can also be found in the centre of the shop. This takes advantage of a large pillar and has been designed to house a white spirits concept, concentrating primarily on vodka. The circular unit has multiple uses for promotions, particularly those that engage with and educate customers and provide an element of fun.

For the whisky category, the On the Rocks concept houses all remaining products outside of malts which are at the front of the arrivals shop. Many of the whisky promotions will be presented there along with 10 exclusive items only available in this shop.

The tuktuk vehicle has also been introduced to create fun in the store. This has been give a quirky design and converted into a mobile chiller. The open fridges inside the Tuktuk house multiple items including chilled wines/champagnes, mixers and beers.

2 Other features of the new store include the Salon Prive, which offers a personalised service for customers buying premium wines and spirits. The glass-walled lounge is temperature-controlled with a seating area where customers can meet. It also features specially trained wine and spirits advisors with extensive product knowledge.

WORLD OF WINE

The Salon Prive is the anchor for the larger wine area in the centre of the shop, which has been segmented to allow customers to easily navigate the world of wine. According to DDF, wine and champagne is a major contributor to arrivals sales at Dubai Duty Free, which is reflected in its representation.

A dedicated area for tobacco is included in the new shop, including a built-in humidor. Other categories such as perfumes and cosmetics, electronics, confectionery and toys are located at the newly designed check-out system, making them ideal for impulse purchases.

The click and collect service, which allows customers to collect items purchased online or in departures has a dedicated space at the shop entrance. This is adjacent to the upgraded Millennium Millionaire and Finest Surprise counter featuring a luxury car display.

Digital screens have been added throughout the store to tell passenger stories relevant to the particular categories.  The design of the shop is focused on product presentation and visual merchandising, emphasised DDF.