Dubai Duty Free (DDF) has reported duty free sales for the full 2016 calendar year of $1.85bn, which was just under its total sales of $1.87bn in 2015, but seemingly enough to retain its crown as the biggest single duty free airport location in the world.

Commenting on the trading period, Executive Vice Chairman and COO Colm McLoughlin said last year’s total sales represented ‘a good year for the operation’, as he thanked H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and Chairman of Dubai Duty Free for his ongoing support.

He added: “I also join His Highness in thanking our great team of staff, our suppliers and, of course, our customers for their contribution to our growth and success.”

INDUSTRY LEADING 27.119M TRANSACTIONS

Looking back at this past year, Dubai Duty Free reported an industry leading total of 27.119m sales transactions, which the retailer says averages out at 74,097 a day when the international airports of both Dubai International and Al Maktoum International are combined – alongside the 28 awards for excellence awarded to the operation throughout 2016.

The retailer adds that it opened 7,000sq m of new retail in its new Concourse D on February 24, increasing the total retail area under DDF to 36,000sq metres in both Dubai’s Airports.

Dubai Duty Free Shopping Complex at Concourse D. Last December Dubai Duty Free also marked its 33rd anniversary with a special 25% discount on a wide range of merchandise over three days. This began at midnight on 18th December and continued until midnight on the operation’s anniversary day on 20th December. Total sales for the three days topped US$44.33m.

PERFUMES LED THE MIX WITH JUST OVER $306.85M

At the same time, it continued to report industry leading product sales volumes, with Perfumes out in front contributing annual sales of just over $306.85m, accounting for 16.55% of total annual sales.

Liquor followed with $295.40m worth of sales ahead of the other major categories which included Cigarettes & Tobacco ($160.70m); Cosmetics ($148.80m); and Confectionery $143.75m. At the same time, departure outlet sales across all concourses accounted for an 86.66% share of total sales, coming in at $1.60bn.

Looking forward to 2017, McLoughlin said there is plenty more happening: “There is a lot to look forward to in 2017, including the improvement of our retail offer both in Dubai International Airport’s Concourse C and in Al Maktoum International Airport’s Passenger Terminal Building (AMIA PTB).

“In Concourse C, we have just opened our outlets in the area that links Concourse C to Concourse B and we will fully renovate the retail areas in the rest of departures and apron levels of Concourse C over the course of the year.

Dubai Duty Free Concourse A Perfumes and Cosmetics Shop.

DDF POINTS TO A BUSY 2017 AHEAD…

“We are also looking forward to developing our DDF Leisure business. The Irish Village in Garhoud was voted the Irish Pub of the Year at the Irish Pubs Global Awards ceremony in Dublin and we opened the second Irish Village in the Dubai Parks and Resorts complex in December 2016.

“The Jumeirah Creekside Hotel continues to do well, and you will see new food and beverage outlets in this hotel during the course of the year.”

The retailer concluded that plans to maintain its schedule of busy events and its busy promotional calendar, which includes the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, which are scheduled to take place at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium between 19 February and 4 March.