Dubai Duty Free wrapped up 2024 on a remarkable note, achieving a new annual turnover record of AED7.901 billion ($2.15 billion), driven by a significant boost in sales as the year drew to a close.
December set a record with sales reaching AED821.94 million ($223.8 million), reflecting a +2 percent increase compared to December 2023, which had previously been the highest-grossing month in Dubai Duty Free’s history.
Anniversary celebrations drive sales
This December performance was propelled by the retailer’s 41st anniversary celebrations on December 20, where a -25 percent discount was offered on a wide selection of products, resulting in a remarkable AED59.99 million ($16.44 million) in sales within just 24 hours.
Strong sales momentum from November
This achievement followed robust sales in November, which also demonstrated year-on-year growth. The confectionery category emerged as the standout performer in December, showcasing a remarkable +29.46 percent increase over the same month in 2023.
Read more: Dubai Duty Free reports $1.94 billion in sales by end of November 2024
High transaction volume and customer engagement
Throughout the year, the operation recorded over 20.733 million sales transactions, averaging 56,649 transactions per day, while a 55.137 million units of merchandise were sold. It is estimated that more than 13.7 million customers visited Dubai Duty Free’s stores in both arrivals and departures during 2024.
Online sales and departure trends
Online sales reached AED197 million ($54 million), representing 2.5 percent of total annual sales. Departure sales saw a slight increase of +0.84 percent year-on-year, totaling AED7.121 billion ($1.951 billion), which accounted for 90 percent of the overall turnover. In contrast, arrivals sales experienced a significant decline of -12.21 percent, amounting to AED537 million ($147 million), which constituted 6.8 percent of total annual sales.
Future plans for retail expansion
Looking to the future, Dubai Duty Free plans to further enhance its retail operations, including the completion of the final phase of renovations in the arrival shops across the three terminals, with construction expected to wrap up early this year.
