According to analysts, by the end of 2005, sales in the Dubai Duty Free store will grow by 20% and reach a record level of 2.2 billion drx (600 million USD). Last year, passengers spent 1.8 billion drx (USD 490 million) in the duty-free trade zone, which is considered the third in the world in terms of sales.
According to Colm McLaughlin, managing director of Dubai Duty Free and concurrently president of the Middle East Duty Free Zones Association (MEDFA), already in late November 2005, sales of the Dubai store totaled 1.9 billion drx (518 million USD).
It is expected that by 2008-2009, when the expansion of Dubai International Airport is completed, sales will grow to 3.67 billion drx (1 billion USD) per year.
According to preliminary estimates, in 2005 the airport received 25 million passengers, while in the past their number was 21.7 million people. At the same time, each passenger on average spends 88 drx (24 USD) in duty free shops. If at the airports of the world 15-20% of passengers make purchases in duty free, then in the Dubai store - 43%.
Total sales in duty-free shops at airports in the Middle East, North Africa and Iran exceed USD 1.3 billion, of which USD 716 million is sales at six UAE airports. Worldwide sales in duty free zones last year amounted to 25 billion USD.
