Days before the end of 2018, Dubai Duty Free reached a long-standing revenue target by surpassing $2 billion in annual sales. The milestone was achieved in the early hours of December 29.
The winning transaction occurred at 12:43 a.m., when a Danish couple purchased a Nikon D5300 SLR camera priced at just under $550. After identifying the Christensens as the buyers, Dubai Duty Free presented them with a $2,000 gift certificate to mark the occasion.
“2018 has been a good year for Dubai Duty Free, and we have been building up towards the $2 billion sales figure all year. We have been tracking the sales figures hour by hour over the past couple of days and it is fantastic to have achieved this figure before the end of the year,” said Colm McLoughlin, executive vice chairman and CEO of Dubai Duty Free.
The couple were transiting through Dubai on a flight between Copenhagen (CPH) and Sydney (SYD) as part of their wedding anniversary celebration. It was their first time visiting or passing through Dubai.
After the milestone was reached, McLoughlin praised the teamwork and dedication of the Dubai Duty Free staff, noting that such achievements reflect coordinated effort across the organization.
Dubai Duty Free marked its 35th anniversary on December 20. In its inaugural year of 1983, the operation recorded $20 million in sales, highlighting substantial growth over more than three decades.