Dubai Duty Free On Track For $1.5 Billion Sales, Despite Missing Chinese Shoppers

Dubai Duty Free On Track For $1.5 Billion Sales, Despite Missing Chinese Shoppers

Dubai Duty Free opened a series of luxury boutiques during the pandemic including this one from ... [+] Dior. Dubai Duty Free is forecasting a big hike in sales this year helped in part by a traffic uplift at Dubai International Airport (DXB)—and despite high-spending Chinese passengers still hardly to be seen. The travel retailer—the biggest in the world operating from one core airport location—expects sales to reach $1. 55 billion, sharply up on 2021's $976 million. Last year's figure was a bit better than the forecast that Dubai Duty Free's chief operating officer Ramesh Cidambi gave Forbes. com in December. Ramesh Cidambi: "The loss of the Chinese had an impact on some brands more than others." While the 2022 projection falls far short of 2019's record of just over $2 billion, it is welcomed by the global travel retail business as a sign that a relatively strong airport retail rebound is possible this year. Also positive is the fact that Dubai Duty Free's sales recovery in the first half of the year was back to 80% of 2019, ahead of the passenger recovery which was 68% (of 2019) at the Emirates hub. Speaking to the regional industry during a