Historic year as Qatar Duty Free sales up 59%
Qatar Duty Free acheives impressive results
Qatar Duty Free (QDF) has announced the results of its fiscal year April 2022 to March 2023, and during this time period the retailer has seen groundbreaking sales and strong growth, with retail revenue up over 59% higher than 2021-2022 and over 45% higher when compared to 2019-2020.
During the annual year January 2022 to December 2022, QDF achieved impressive turnover growth of 26% compared to 2019.
HIA passenger volume experienced more than double year-over-year growth to reach 35.7 million passengers in 2022, representing more than 101.9% compared to 2021 figures and 92.1% compared to pre-pandemic 2019 figures. The year was a significant one for the airport, with the unveiling of Phase A of the airport expansion project and the country’s hosting of the FIFA World Cup. Also during this year, QDF was awarded the World’s Leading Airport Duty Free Operator 2022 Award.
The retailer’s “fantastic” numbers were driven by a substantial 49% increase in sales per passenger, and come as no accident, as the retailer has invested heavily over these years, with innovative retail and dining in addition to the offer at the new Central Concourse at the Hamad International Airport (HIA) expansion.
New retail and dining experiences in the Central Concourse and South Node included a Dior boutique, a unique-concept Louis Vuitton boutique, a brand-new Hermes Boutique, the world’s only FIFA shop, a two-story Fendi boutique, the first-ever airport Fendi Café, the first TimeVallée boutique in the Middle East, and a Food Court, offering an extensive array of cuisines.
Qatar’s hosting of the FIFA World Cup was important in driving traffic during November and December of 2022, resulting in turnover at more than 112% compared to 2021. As the Official Retail Partner for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, QDF was estimated to achieve a total of 459,000 transactions at the FIFA stores (pictured below), with 1.4 million total units sold during and after the tournament.
Vice President of Qatar Duty Free, Mr. Thabet Musleh, said, "This was a fantastic year for Qatar Duty Free, our home Hamad International Airport and the Qatar Airways Group. We are honored to have played a significant role in the FIFA World Cup tournament, the tremendous airport expansion project and many other significant events in the country.”
“Our goal was to offer an unforgettable and seamless travel experience to all the passengers, and we successfully achieved that goal. I would like to thank all members of the QDF community for their unprecedented and continuous support. Our financial results represent our tremendous success, and we look forward to showcasing many more triumphs and achievements in 2023.”
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