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The retailer has added a strong Sense of Place to the design and product offer at Amman |
MIDDLE EAST. World Duty Free Group (WDFG) has hailed the impact of its latest openings in the Middle East, which include over 3,000sq m of space in Amman, Jordan and the long-awaited start of its Saudi Arabian operations (in partnership with Al Musbah).
The company has been trading since 1 April in Jeddah South, Saudi Arabia, under the Saudi Duty Free name. Further operations are planned to open in Jeddah North, Riyadh and Dammam in the months ahead.
International Operations Director Pedro Castro said: “This is a start and we are operational in a country where before there was no duty free at all. We have high expectations that we can develop and grow this business.”
The Saudi business is driven by beauty, but with a strong contribution from fine food, gold and local merchandise, noted Castro.
At Amman Queen Alia International in Jordan, the retailer opened stores in March in both Departures and Arrivals, covering 3,250sq m.
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A sense of theatre on display at the shops in Jordan |
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Arrivals is already performing strongly, said Castro. “That channel is already 30% of sales, which is way ahead of what Arrivals contributes at many locations. We have experience in this business and we know it performs well in Chile, Peru and other locations due to a strong contribution from locals and frequent flyers. Here it has been exceptional and we hope to negotiate some more space for the business.”
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Many brands created special campaigns for the opening in Amman |
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To date, the new stores are exceeding budget, said Castro. “The passengers are coming to understand the new terminal and how it works. Now that they are becoming more confident with the environment, we are seeing strong double-digit growth every month and penetration in particular is growing fast.”
More details on WDFG’s Middle East operations appear in The Moodie Report Print Edition for July, out soon.
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The last-minute stores in Amman have performed well to date, says WDFG |
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