Abu Dhabi International Airport sees 7.5% Uplift in Duty Free Sales

Press release

Published August 2nd, 2011 - 10:08 GMT

Abu Dhabi Airports Company

Abu Dhabi International Airport today revealed its Duty Free sales for the first half of 2011, announcing a total of AED 293 Million in sales and a robust 7.5% increase in comparison with the same period last year.

The Duty Free shops in Terminal 3 in particular saw an impressive 59% increase, driven by the excellent performance from its 19 luxury boutiques. The Beauty & Fragrance shops also performed strongly supported by six different ‘First in the Middle East’ product launches. Sales performance is expected to continue rising over the second half of 2011, as shops in Terminal 1 reopen following the terminal refurbishments, which are set to be completed by the end of this month.

Huraiz Al Mur Bin Huraiz, ADAC’s Chief Commercial Officer, explained, “We are committed to continuously improve the duty free offerings at Abu Dhabi International Airport. This year, we’ve witnessed an increase in sales and look forward to even further growth in Q3 and Q4. Our renovation plan ensures that we keep the unique structure of Terminal 1, whilst offering our increasing numbers of travelers the most convenient and enjoyable airport shopping experience.”

“We are expecting strong numbers in the next six months as a result of the completion of the refurbishment of Terminal 1, creating a world class shopping environment.” he added.

While awaiting the completion of Terminal 1, travelers passing through the terminal can still enjoy several food & beverages facilities, along with many of the new Duty Free shops that are currently open including the popular electronic outlet Sharaf DG Electronics, which reopened over the last weekend after undergoing a renovation to align with its latest retail concept. There are also five additional new luxury boutiques set to open later this month, including Burberry, Ferragamo, Givenchy, Bulgari & Mont Blanc.

Abu Dhabi International Airport Duty Free was recently awarded the ‘Best Airport in Tax Free Shopping Globally’ from the Business Destinations Awards in the UK.

Background Information

Abu Dhabi Airports Company

Abu Dhabi Airports Company (ADAC) is a public joint-stock company incorporated by Emiri Decree number 5, of March 4, 2006, to spearhead the development of the Emirate's aviation industry. ADAC’s creation was part of an ambitious restructuring initiative launched by the Government of Abu Dhabi, aimed at delivering better services to support the Emirate’s long-term economic and tourism strategies and to help build a more vibrant economy that attracts and promotes private sector investment.