Image: WAM
Dubai Duty Free closed 2024 with a remarkable performance, setting a new annual turnover record of Dhs7.901bn ($2.16bn), bolstered by a significant surge in sales towards the end of the year.
The retailer achieved a milestone in December, posting all-time high monthly sales of Dhs821.94m, marking a 2 per cent increase over December 2023, which had previously been the highest-grossing month in the company’s history.
The December surge was driven by Dubai Duty Free’s 41st anniversary celebrations on December 20, where the retailer offered a 25 per cent discount on a wide range of products.
This special promotion resulted in Dhs59.99m in sales over a 24-hour period.
Sales in November had also shown strong year-on-year growth, setting the stage for the record December figures.
Confectionery emerged as the top-performing category in December, with sales soaring by nearly 29.5 per cent compared to the same month in 2023.
Dubai Duty Free recorded around 56, 649 transactions a day
Throughout 2024, Dubai Duty Free recorded over 20.733 million sales transactions, averaging 56,649 transactions per day.
The operation sold a total of 55.137 million units of merchandise, with an estimated 13.7 million customers visiting the retailer’s arrivals and departures stores.
Online sales also contributed to the success, reaching Dhs97m, accounting for 2.5 per cent of the company’s total annual sales.
Sales in departures stores, which represent the bulk of the operation, edged up by 0.84 per cent year-on-year to Dhs7.121bn, making up 90 per cent of the total turnover.
However, arrivals sales saw a notable decline of 12.21 per cent, totaling Dhs537m, or 6.8 per cent of annual sales.
Looking ahead, Dubai Duty Free plans to continue enhancing its retail operations, with the final phase of renovations in the arrival shops across three terminals scheduled for completion early this year.
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