Iraq Duty Free (IDF) has reported a +35% sales increase in December 2018 compared to the same month the previous year, following the opening of a new renovated departures shop in the Iraqi Airways terminal at Baghdad International Airport. 

The existing departures shop closed for renovation in August 2018 and re-opened on 17 December. This followed the unveiling of the revamped arrivals shop featuring a new liquor area earlier in the year.

Suppliers have brought their own display stands and shop-in-shops into the refurbished departures store, which has a new-look design, structure and displays.

‘A GREAT YEAR’

Looking back on last year, Fouad A Jabbour, General Manager, Iraq Duty Free, who previously revealed the retailer was targeting sales of $9m in 2018, told TRBusiness: “Overall, we have experienced a +25% increase in sales over 2017. Considering the Iraqi Airways departures shop was closed for nearly four months, it was a great year for us.”

With the revamp of the arrivals and departures shops in the Iraqi Airways terminal now complete, attention turns to the stores in International Airlines terminal. “Our next project will be the renovation of our two arrivals and departures shops in the International Airlines terminal.

“This should start in the second quarter of 2019. In addition, we will also renovate our arrivals shop in Basra International Airport.”

See the below video from the opening ceremony of the revamped Iraq Duty Free departures shop.

In conversation with TRBusiness last year, Jabbour also indicated the retailer would operate arrivals and departures shops in three unnamed Iraqi airports after agreements were reached with the country’s Civil Aviation Authority and Ministry of Transportation.

While the identities of the airports remain anonymous, Jabbour revelaed: “Operations in the new airports should begin by the final quarter of 2019 depending on how the airports progress themselves.”