Sweden-based Generation Group has ranked Dubai Duty Free (DDF) the fifth largest in turnover globally.

In 2002 DDF recorded sales of Dh1.1 billion. Sales for the first half of 2003 have touched Dh592 million, representing a 16 per cent increase over the same period last year.

The figures place DDF alongside London’s Heathrow, Singapore, Amsterdam and Paris.
Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, president of the Department of Civil Aviation said: “It is a great achievement for Dubai Duty Free to enter the top five duty free operations in the world.

According to the report, he said: “The figures are all the more impressive when you consider that Dubai International Airport, which handled 16 million passengers in 2002 and is 16th in the world in terms of international traffic, is in the same league in terms of duty free sales with airports such as Heathrow which handles over 60 million passengers a year.”

Colm McLoughlin, managing director of DDF, said, “What is very clear from the figures is that the spend per passenger at DDF, which is estimated at around $34 per head (departing passengers only), is above the average spend in other airports which have a much higher traffic flow. Given our sales figures so far this year, we think we can move even higher up the chart in 2003.”