UAE duty free sales to be driven by India, China, UK over the next four years

UAE duty free sales to be driven by India, China, UK over the next four years

UAE - India, China and the UK will be the top three source market for duty-free sales in the UAE over the next four years as travel spending will witness a substantial increase.

According to a new study released by Euromonitor International, recovery in air travel has pushed inbound duty free sales to way ahead of pre-pandemic levels in the UAE, surpassing $100 per arrival.

“The UAE has benefited from its relatively open approach to travel and tourism during the pandemic, plus its two main hubs of Emirates’ Dubai and Etihad’s Abu Dhabi, as well as the added uplift from the recent Football World Cup held in neighbouring Qatar. Dubai and Abu Dhabi are magnets for luxury brands and shopping,” it said in its latest report titled 'World Market for Duty-Free: Unlocking Value and New Opportunities'.

The recovery in international travel post-pandemic has helped improve passenger spending. Dubai Duty Free announced annual sales of Dh6.34 billion ($1.74 billion) in 2022, representing a 78 per cent increase over the previous year while Dubai International, the world’s largest airport in terms of international passengers, saw passenger traffic more than doubling to over 66 million in 2022.

“With several sporting events expected to be hosted in the