cannes_2025_WEDNESDAY_ISSUE_DIGITAL

Dubai Duty Free sets the pace with record sales and luxury expansion With 2025 shaping up as another landmark year, Dubai Duty Free continues to outperform expectations, delivering record-breaking sales, strengthening its luxury proposition, and investing in large-scale refurbishments. Managing Director Ramesh Cidambi shares insights into the operator’s strategic focus. D ubai Duty Free is on track for another exceptional year, continuing to set new benchmarks in airport retail. Following a record-breaking performance in 2024 with sales of US$2.164 billion, the business has kept the momentum going in 2025, with six out of the first eight months setting new monthly records – including a standout result in August. “We expect to finish the year with estimated revenues of US$2.20 billion,” confirms Ramesh Cidambi, Managing Director, Dubai Duty Free. “I am particularly pleased that, based on our internal daily tracking, sales have outpaced passenger growth by about 9% – a remarkable achievement that highlights the outstanding efforts of the entire team.” The growth is not only headline-driven but broad-based across product categories. Confectionery leads the pack, up an impressive 62.02% from January to August 2025. A key contributor to this was Dubai- themed chocolates, which delivered US$59 million in sales from just nine brands – accounting for over 40% of total confectionery revenues. Other strong performers include Cigarettes and Tobacco (+10.82%), Gold (+9.59%), Perfumes (+6.49%), and Cosmetics (+4.12%). Precious Jewellery also delivered robust growth of 21.15%, while sales of MillenniumMillionaire tickets rose by 4.2%. “Even excluding confectionery, our top 10 categories grew by over 9%, which speaks volumes about the resilience and diversity of our offering,” adds Cidambi. Luxury fashion is another standout, with Concourse A and B boutiques generating US$145 million in sales through August. This is supported by the recent opening of flagship Louis Vuitton (266sqm) and Cartier (140sqm) stores in Concourse A, elevating the terminal’s fashion offering to match that of Concourse B. “These boutiques reflect sustained demand for high-end fashion and accessories at Dubai Duty Free,” says Cidambi. “Their presence reinforces our ambition to position Dubai International as a global luxury shopping destination.” Significant progress is also being made on long-term refurbishment projects across Concourses A and B, scheduled for completion by late 2026. Among the key developments: • A new Ferragamo store (48sqm) set to open by mid-November • The introduction of the ‘Gifts from Dubai’ concept in Food Plus West by year-end • A major transformation of the Perfumes, Cosmetics and Fashion store (1,593sqm) in Concourse A East, with phased work beginning soon and final completion by March 2027 • A temporary Chanel boutique (173sqm) to open in January 2026, followed by a larger, redesigned boutique reopening September 2026 Dubai Duty Free is also blending digital innovation with customer-centric service. Its Scan, Pay & Go solution launched in October 2024 allows shoppers to complete purchases via mobile, but Cidambi notes that many still value human interaction. “Our Mobile POS bridges that gap beautifully – leveraging tech while keeping the personal touch,” he says. The system processed US$356,000 across 6,300 transactions last month alone. As the year’s final quarter approaches, Dubai Duty Free is focused on maintaining sales momentumwhile pushing forward with its transformation agenda. “Our priorities remain clear: drive revenue growth, deliver a world-class retail experience, and invest in the people and infrastructure that will power our future,” Cidambi concludes. Luxury fashion is a standout, with Concourse A and B boutiques generating US$145 million in sales through August. This is supported by the recent opening of flagship Louis Vuitton (266sqm) and Cartier (140sqm) stores in Concourse A, elevating the terminal’s fashion offering to match that of Concourse B. Ramesh Cidambi, Managing Director, Dubai Duty Free: “We expect to finish the year with estimated revenues of US$2.20 billion. I am particularly pleased that, based on our internal daily tracking, sales have outpaced passenger growth by about 9% – a remarkable achievement that highlights the outstanding efforts of the entire team.” Wednesday 1 October 2025 14 T F W A D A I L Y