Dubai Duty Free Posts Record January Sales Of Dh858 Million

2026-02-01 11:30:28

(MENAFN- Khaleej Times)

Several categories delivered exceptional growth, led by gold, which generated sales of Dh104 million, while fashion contributed nearly Dh82 million

PUBLISHED: Sun 1 Feb 2026, 1:38 PM

By:
Khaleej Times Staff

Dubai Duty Free has begun 2026 on a high note, recording its strongest January performance on record, achieving Dh858.21 million, representing a 18.53% increase over January last year and marking an outstanding start to the year.

January 2026 is now ranked as Dubai Duty Free's third-highest sales month on record, surpassed only by December 2025 at Dh922.77 million and November 2025 at Dh876.56 million. The highest daily sale of the month was recorded on January 31 when sales reached Dh35.6 million.

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Sales growth continued to outperform passenger traffic at Dubai International Airport (the final passenger numbers for January will only be released by Dubai Airport later this month). The outperformance relative to passenger growth is estimated at 13.5%.

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Commenting on the performance, Dubai Duty Free Managing Director, Ramesh Cidambi, said,“We are extremely pleased to begin 2026 with our strongest January performance ever, following a record-breaking 2025. What is particularly encouraging is that sales growth has significantly outperformed passenger growth, demonstrating higher spend per passenger, strong demand across key categories and growth in all major geographical regions."

Strong category performances

Several categories delivered exceptional growth, led by gold, which recorded a 45.74% increase, generating sales of Dh104 million, while fashion was up 36.68%, contributing nearly Dh82 million. Electronics grew by 36.61% to Dh65 million in sales, and Precious Jewellery delivered the highest percentage growth at 69.51%. with Dh28 million sales.

Other categories posting solid gains included perfumes, up 13.61% to Dh147 million, and confectionery, up 15.35% to Dh80.69 million. Cosmetics gained 7.67% to Dh40 million, watches climbed 30.94% to Dh33 million, and delicatessen grew 8.36% to Dh27.77 million.

Dubai Chocolates continue to shine

Sales of Dubai Chocolate reached Dh36 million in January 2026, with 83 tonnes sold, compared to Dh24 million and 42 tonnes in January 2025, reflecting the continued expansion of this sub-category.

Retail and boutique highlights

The fashion boutiques performed exceptionally well, with sales in Concourse A and B up 56%, with record average daily sales of Dh3.4 million and a record average transaction value of Dh8,820.

Regional and market growth

Region-wise, Europe and Russia led sales growth with increases of 35% and 36% respectively, followed by a strong performance from Africa at 29%, the Americas 22.5%, the Indian subcontinent up 11%, the Far East at 10.5% and the Middle East up 5.3%.

With record January sales, strong category growth and increased passenger spend, Dubai Duty Free has set a positive tone for the year and is confident of maintaining this momentum throughout 2026.