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DDF anniversary discount pushes sales to record
The Dubai Duty Free (DDF) on Sunday said it recorded Dh71 million sales in just 24 hours on Saturday, the day it marked its 25th anniversary.
- Staff Report
- Published: 23:51 December 21, 2008
Dubai: The Dubai Duty Free (DDF) on Sunday said it recorded Dh71 million sales in just 24 hours on Saturday, the day it marked its 25th anniversary.
This translates to Dh2.95 million in sales per hour, Dh49,305 per minute and Dh821.75 per second.
"This record-breaking figure equals the operation's first full year of sales in 1984," a DDF statement said.
"A special 25 per cent discount offer to mark the operation's 25th anniversary resulted in a massive spending spree at Dubai International Airport that began at midnight on December 19 and continued throughout the day until midnight the following day."
The daily sales, which comprised more than 130,000 transactions, represent a massive 582 per cent increase above the average daily sales for the year.
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Colm McLoughlin, managing director of Dubai Duty Free, said: "This 25th anniversary is obviously very special and we are delighted with the sales results and the fact that the turnover on the anniversary day has equalled the annual turnover in our first full year of operations. This indicates how far we have come and I thank everyone for helping us achieve such incredible sales."
The 25th anniversary sales figure of Dh71 million is 54 per cent higher than the last record day set on December 20, 2007, when Dubai Duty Free celebrated its 24th Anniversary with a 24 per cent discount offer.
"We began introducing a discount offer on our 20th anniversary in 2003 and it has become a popular day with travellers, some of whom book their flights in order to shop on that day," added McLoughlin.
The statistics for the day highlight the huge volume of sales that passed through the cash points within the 24 hour period. Watches and clocks were the highest selling commodities with record sales of Dh22 million and representing 31 per cent of the total daily sales.
Perfumes was the second most popular category on the anniversary day with sales of Dh17.5 million. Cosmetics came in at third place, category wise, with sales of Dh5.3 million. McLoughlin, together with George Horan, Deputy Managing Director, Dubai Duty Free and other senior officials conducted the Millennium Millionaire draw where Christos Vouzounerakis - a Greek national emerged the lucky winner.
Christos Vouzounerakis, holder of ticket No 3978 in Series 91 purchased his winning ticket from the internet on October 20.
Dubai Duty Free currently employs almost 3,700 staff and of the original 100 staff, 59 remain in active service.
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