“A unique luxury travel retail experience” – Qatar Duty Free reveals luxury avenue Viale di Lusso in spectacular style

QATAR. Qatar Duty Free (QDF) today launched premium fashion avenue Viale di Lusso in spectacular style at Hamad International Airport (HIA), in a project that emphatically underlines Qatar Airways Group’s faith in the future of travel and travel retail.

The Moodie Davitt Report was on location in Doha today to cover the event in words, images and video (more will be added in coming hours).

Landmark moment: Qatar Airways, Hamad International and Qatar Duty Free management led by Group Chief Executive H.E. Mr. Akbar Al Baker prepares for the unveiling of Viale di Lusso, after a spectacular catwalk show introduced guests to the brand range

Leading the way: Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker tours the new zone with Qatar Duty Free Vice President Operations Thabet Musleh. Below, Akbar Al Baker with special guests Italian Embassy First Secretary, Ms Carlotta Colli (left) and Ambassador of Greece to Qatar, H.E. Mrs Eleni Michalopoulou. 

Viale di Lusso, positioned as the next-generation luxury shopping and upscale food & beverage concept at Hamad International Airport, was described by Qatar Duty Free as “a unique luxury travel experience”. The new zone features an enhanced retail and dining portfolio and several global and regional firsts.

Our on location video captures the excitement of the unveiling of Viale di Lusso as it happened

It houses the first airport boutique in the Middle East for fashion designer Valentino, as well as stores representing designer names Dolce & Gabbana, Fendi, Chloe, Jimmy Choo, Emporio Armani and Pucci, which build on QDF’s existing collection of high-end brands.

The Emporio Armani Ristorante and Emporio Armani Caffè is a world first for an airport, with a high-quality menu inspired by Italy and many premium design touches. Next door, a Starbucks Reserve coffeehouse offers coffee connoisseurs the chance to discover new creations and rare, single-origin selections of unique roasts.

Dolce & Gabbana offers a colourful, playful introduction to the luxury zone

The Viale di Lusso official opening ceremony was officiated by Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker; Hamad International Airport Chief Operating Officer Engineer Badr Al Meer; and Qatar Duty Free Vice President Operations, Thabet Musleh.

The Ambassador of Greece to Qatar, H.E. Mrs Eleni Michalopoulou; Deputy Ambassador of Italy, Filippo Perzolla; and the Italian Embassy First Secretary Ms Carlotta Colli were guests of honour.

Fashion house Valentino makes its airport boutique debut in the Middle East with this elegant store

Emporio Armani showcases its latest casual luxury lines in its boutique (above and below), which complements the high-class restaurant that sits adjacent (below)

H.E. Akbar Al Baker said: “At Qatar Airways Group, we know that the excitement and anticipation of international air travel begins the second travellers step through the doors of the airport and into an exciting, memorable, and fulfilling journey. This collaboration between QDF and HIA proves our continuous efforts to offer an unrivalled retail and dining experience for our passengers.”

Engr. Badr Mohammed Al Meer, added: “Hamad International Airport is proud to launch Viale Di Lusso, a unique luxury avenue at the heart of the award-winning airport terminal, offering a suite of global brands joining its existing retail portfolio.

“As a diverse lifestyle destination of its own, HIA continues to curate memorable luxury and exclusive retail experiences for travellers, designed around their discerning tastes, convenience and wellbeing.”

Stunning execution and a superb offer from bags to accessories at Fendi

Thabet Musleh said: “Viale Di Lusso represents another step in the delivery of QDF’s mission to transform the retail and dining offer at HIA to ensure that we continue to raise the bar in travel retail globally, providing our passengers with a differentiated, memorable, and unique experience. It is an exciting period for us as we continue to grow and expand looking forward to further enhancing our retail and dining portfolio in the next few months.”

Eye-catching displays from Pucci (above), Chloe and Jimmy Choo

The inauguration – the biggest launch event of its kind in QDF’s history and one of the most spectacular luxury unveilings seen at an airport – was previewed extensively by HIA and QDF via social media, through media partners including The Moodie Davitt Report and by influencers around the world.

The event welcomed several leading fashion influencers, who were dressed by the brands represented at Viale di Lusso. Models also paraded creations from the designers in a stunning catwalk display as the new zone was opened, with a DJ playing a set as invited guests toured the area. The tour concluded with a food tasting at the Emporio Armani Ristorante and Caffè.

Spectacular Starbucks: A new look for the coffee house with its Reserve brand, celebrated with gusto by staff and guests at the store (below)

As reported, Qatar Duty Free’s stores are undergoing a transformation as the company marks its 21st year. The retailer is investing in an enhanced retail portfolio of 21 new shopping and food & beverage outlets, including those opened today.

The ‘21 in 21’ project embraces a range of tastes and budgets. It is designed to elevate the existing multiple award-winning duty free and dining experience at Hamad International Airport (HIA), transforming it into a premier global destination in its own right for international air travellers.

The new outlets, which will be located in both the departure and arrival areas, are being opened on a phased basis over the coming months.

Speaking later to The Moodie Davitt Report, Engr. Badr Mohammed Al Meer said: “It’s a very big achievement to be able to convince this number of great brands to come and open at an airport here at what has been a difficult time, and as the industry is still recovering.

“In the beginning they were a bit reluctant but when we showed them our numbers, our expansion plans, they were convinced about what we and they could achieve. You can see by the attendance of the brands today that they are paying a lot of attention to Hamad International and the business potential here. And they can see that once they open at the airport, we develop a strong partnership and help each other to grow through mutual support.”

Thabet Musleh added: “It has been amazing how so many partners have supported us so strongly. We are very humbled and it shows the trust that they have in Qatar Duty Free.

“One of our USPs, which we have brought to this project, is simply that we do everything in-house as a group, and that is very important. We focus on customer service as a group and whether it’s the airport, airline or duty free, we offer that five-star service to the customer.”

Teaser shot: Before the unveiling, guests were greeted by a stylish digital wall that previewed the luxury avenue behind, with a fashion show kickstarting a memorable launch event

Once guests were inside, a DJ kept them entertained with a lively soundtrack to the launch

On the wider ambitions for HIA, the major planned expansion of the terminal is going according to plan, Engr Badr Al Meer added. “We have many brands interested and even a waiting list. We are sending a message to all the brands, those that are here and those that are not. We will help them market their brands. We can help them and we will talk about them and promote them.

“And we aim to satisfy passengers with all tastes, whether they want to shop in the high-end stores or elsewhere.”

He said that passenger traffic had been returning, but that even this growth has been outstripped by soaring levels of business, from which brand partners are benefiting.

“Although our traffic is still much lower compared to 2019, our sales are at around 90% of pre-crisis levels already. So it shows us that passengers are coming back, and are willing to spend in duty free.

“During the last four to six weeks we have seen dramatic increases in passengers partly due to vacation season. We hope it continues through the year. Yesterday we recorded 70,000 passengers for the first time since COVID. Until this point we had been close to 60,000 a day. I’m not sure it will continue at that rate of growth but if we hit 45-50% and more of 2019 numbers, things will then take off fully as travel returns.

“As we are not as busy as before, we have taken the time to renovate, so that when the travellers come back they will see a new range of units. We will have many new concepts here, some of them firsts for airports in the world.”

*Click here for a major interview with Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker about the broader picture for travel and for the group.  [Note: Akbar Al Baker is one of the keynote speakers at the Virtual Travel Retail  Expo in October].

More to follow.

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