Dubai Duty Free: 2012 - A year in review
Dubai Duty Free can reflect on another busy and successful year that has seen a number of significant developments for the operation which continues to hold the top slot as one of the single largest airport retailer in the world.
We look back on the highlights over the past 12 months for Dubai Duty Free:
January 2012
2012 began well for the operation announcing year-end sales of US$1.46 billion in 2011, representing a 15.69% increase over 2010.
Dubai Duty Free supported the 17th running of the Dubai Shopping Festival as a Strategic Partner for the seventh consecutive year.
Dubai Duty Free was presented with the ‘Best Stakeholders Team’ at the HSE Excellence Award for Contractors based on its participation in Dubai Airports Clean-Up Day.
Dubai Duty Free sponsored the Dubai World Carnival held at Meydan Racecourse.
February 2012
Colm McLoughlin was honoured by his Alma Mater with the Garbally Alumni Awards along with his two brothers, Ray and Feidlim McLoughlin.
Dubai Duty Free once again supported the Omega Dubai Desert Classic which was won by Spain’s Rafael Cabrera-Bello.
The Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships WTA week was won in exciting style by Agnieszka adwanska while Roger Federer won his fifth Dubai title.
Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic celebrated 20 years of ATP tennis in Dubai on the Burj Al Arab Helipad
decorated to mark the occasion.
The Dubai Duty Free Men’s Open 2011 was named ‘The ATP World Tour 500 – Tournament of the Year’ in the ATP International Group.
March 2012
Dubai Duty Free supported the 4th Emirates Airline International Festival of Literature attended by world-renowned authors.
Dubai Duty Free sponsored the US$ 5 million Dubai Duty Free Race (Group 1) held during the Dubai World Cup, the richest horse race meeting in the world. The DDF race was won by Cityscape ridden by James Doyle.
Dubai Duty Free recorded first quarter sales of US$390 million representing a 14% increase over the same period last year.
April 2012
Colm McLoughlin was presented with the 25th Anniversary DFNI ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ for his outstanding contribution to the travel retail industry.
Dubai Duty Free returned to Newbury Racecourse for the 16th running of the two-day Dubai Duty Free Stakes which was graced for the 4th consecutive year by Her Majesty the Queen.
Dubai Duty Free presented Her Majesty The Queen with a bronze model of the Darley Arabian to mark her Diamond Jubilee.
Dubai Duty Free supported the Mixed Greensomes Open and the St. Patrick’s Day Dubai Irish Golf Society tournament.
Dubai Duty Free was honoured once again at the Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Patrons of the Arts Awards 2012 as a ‘Patron of the Arts’, in recognition of the operations contribution towards cultural and arts initiatives in Dubai.
For the 11th consecutive year, Dubai Duty Free received the ‘Best Duty Free Shopping Award’ at the Business Traveller Middle East awards ceremony.
May 2012
Dubai Duty Free was presented with the DFNI Awards for ‘Middle East Travel Retailer of the Year’ for the twelfth time.
Dubai Duty Free organised the 17th DDF UAE Nationals Cup held at Emirates Golf Club.
Dubai Duty Free participated in Arabian Travel Market in Dubai.
June 2012
Dubai Duty Free recorded sales of US$772 million for the first half of the year representing an 11% increase over the same period in 2011.
The fifth Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby held at the Curragh Racecourse attracted a huge crowd of spectators and international TV exposure. The title race was won in spectacular style by Camelot trained by Aiden O’Brian.
Dubai Duty Free sponsored the Dubai Summer Surprises and offered travelers a chance to win Dhs100,000 in shopping vouchers.
Dubai Duty Free organised the 20th DDF Golf Cup held at DCGYC.
July 2012
The DDF owned 5-star hotel, the Jumeirah Creekside, welcomed its first guests on 1st July.
The hotel, managed by Jumeirah Group, has 292 guest rooms made up of suites, executive standard rooms along with full ancillary F&B and meeting facilities.
Dubai Duty Free’s first foray into border shop retailing was firmly underscored with the official inauguration of its Hatta Border shop, located next to the Customs and Immigration offices at the Hatta-Oman border.
August 2012
Dubai Duty Free returned for the 12th running of the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup at Ascot Racecourse, which was won by the Rest of the World Team.
September 2012
Dubai Duty Free sponsored the National Showjumping Championships held in Co. Clare, Ireland.
Dubai Duty Free flew the flag at Newbury for a second time this year for the Dubai Duty Free International Raceday.
The 15th Dubai Duty Free UGA Seniors Cup was held at the Arabian Ranches Golf Club.
Sales up to the end of September reached an impressive US$1.14 billion representing a 10% increase over the same period last year.
At the 2nd Asian Leadership Awards Dubai Duty Free’s Executive Vice Chairman, Colm McLoughlin, received a ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ while Dubai Duty Free received the ‘Operational Excellence Award’.
October 2012
Dubai Duty Free sponsored the World Energy forum for the first time held outside the U.S. at DWTC attended by world leaders.
Dubai Duty Free was presented with the top prize for ‘Best Airport Retailer of the Year’ at the Frontier Awards held in Cannes.
Dubai Duty Free was recognised in this year’s GFCC, The ‘Best Practice Report’ Innovation Capacity: Best Practices in Competitiveness Strategy, held in the Middle East for the first time.
November 2012
Dubai Duty Free supported the MEE and MEDFA conference attended by executives from the duty free industry
Dubai Duty Free sponsored the Dubai World Championship – Race to Dubai held at Jumeirah Golf Estates.
Dubai Duty Free hosted the 20th Dubai Duty Free Golf World Cup which attracted over 100 overseas representatives from the global duty free industry.
Colm McLoughlin was honoured with the ‘Lifetime Achievement’ at the Esquire’s Man At His Best Awards for his outstanding contribution to thetravel retail industry.
December 2012
Dubai Duty Free teamed up with The Irish Village to sponsor the Scottish team at the Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby 7s.
Dubai Duty Free was presented with the ‘Best Duty Free Shops’ award by the publishers of US-based magazine Global Traveler (GT) for the sixth time.
Dubai Duty Free sponsored the Skydive Dubai & Dubai Duty Free Grand Prix offshore powerboat race held at DIMC.
Dubai Duty Free marked its 29th Anniversary on December 20th with 25% discount offer on a wide range of merchandise, with the daily sales reaching Dhs76.91 million (US$21 million) in the 24-hour period.
Dubai Duty Free is expecting year-end sales close to Dhs5.9 billion (US$1.6 Billion).
Emirate: Dubai
Date: Dec 25, 2012
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