Qatar's Hamad International Airport was named the world's best airport for shopping for the second year in a row at the Skytrax World Airport Awards 2024 held last week. This accolade confirms Qatar Airways Hub's determination to build a world-class retail destination since its establishment in April 2014.
The airport, which handled a record 45.9 million passengers in 2023, also regained the more prestigious title of “World's Best Airport” in an award considered the most influential in the airport industry. Located in Doha, this hub takes its crown from the acclaimed Singapore Changi Airport.
Hamad International and its Southeast Asian rivals have been vying for the top spot in recent years, but Qatar has been putting the pedal to the metal during and after the pandemic. Earlier this year, Qatar Airways Group CEO Badr Mohamed Almeer said: Our track record reflects our unwavering commitment to service excellence. First class shopping is a key element of our overall proposition. ”
While such comments may be seen as mere rhetoric in some places, Hamad International has highlighted the speed of passenger recovery post-COVID-19 and the shopping carried out by Qatar Duty Free (QDF). We have evidence of that commitment in the scale of our offer. A wholly owned retail store at the airport.
Despite harsh comparisons with 2022, when the airport hosted the first ever FIFA World Cup in an Arab country, passenger numbers rose more than 30% year-on-year. Retail also had a record year, and in January I estimated that QDF's annual retail sales had broken his $1 billion barrier.
Incremental wins in retail
The company doesn't stop there. Since the FIFA World Cup, careful planning has ensured more wins. Just before the tournament began, the airport unveiled a new expansion to its lush terminal filled with 25,000 plants and more than 300 trees, as well as brands such as Burberry, Dior, Fendi, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Moncler and Polo Ralph. We have opened a new luxury store.Lauren
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Shopping services and the arrival of more brands are being enhanced many times. In 2023, QDF claims to have opened “numerous world firsts” and increased the number of retail and food and beverage outlets to more than 200. Among the arrivals were new concepts from Bally, Montblanc and TAG Heuer, as well as Souk Al Matar, a retail and dining experience that reimagines the traditional Qatari souk.
The space, which opened in December, is home to seven local shops and two restaurants. The souk is an example of a concept QDF calls “transit tourism” at the airport. The company believes it will take the term “sense of place” often used in duty free shopping to the next level. The authenticity of the architectural design helps remind travelers of the style, aroma and taste of Qatar.
Dining ranges from food courts and innovative coffee shops like Ralph's Coffee and the world's first Oreo Café located inside the airport, to vegan restaurants and established eateries like the Gordon Ramsay Burger. Budget travelers can find his Day2Day 'must have' store, while luxury watch enthusiasts can visit the Middle East's first Time Vallée or his eye-catching two-storey Fendi boutique.
The second Dior store will open in April, and the Dior Spa will open to the public in May. Tab Musleh, Senior Vice President, Qatar Duty Free commented: Pioneering approaches such as 'transit tourism' have turned our homes into destinations in their own right. There are many new openings and innovations underway, and we continue to find new ways to differentiate our services. ”
As the CEO of Qatar Airways Group knows, this difference made the airport a Skytrax winner. He highlighted things for brands and retailers to follow. “There is no end goal in the pursuit of delivering a superior travel experience. Our goal is to continue to improve travel in 2024 to meet the ever-increasing expectations of our discerning passengers.”