Dubai Duty Free welcomes Chinese travelers

DUBAI - The world's biggest airport duty free retailer said on Wednesday that it is hoping for a growing influx of visitors from China.

Colm McLoughlin, Executive Vice Chairman and CEO of the government-owned Dubai Duty Free (DDF), told Xinhua that as Chinese travelers make up 3.6 percent of all travelers passing through Dubai International Airport and Dubai's second hub Al-Maktoum International Airport, Chinese passengers stand for nine percent of the total spending at DDF.

He said this is why DDF provides special offers and services for travelers from around the world, especially China.

As many as 450,000 Chinese tourists visited Dubai last year, and projections indicate that this number will rise to 650,000 in the next two years, he said.

"DDF has signed an agreement with China UnionPay, so Chinese visitors can use their bank payment cards when they check at DDF shops," he said.

He said 10 to 15 years ago, DDF did not employ Chinese nationals. "But today, 570 out of 5,900 staff are Chinese nationals in order to provide sales service in Mandarin."

DDF will continue to organize special sales events with discounts for Chinese customers during the Chinese Lunar New Year holidays from the end of January till the beginning of February 2017, he said.

In 2015, the DDF group generated sales revenues worth about $1.9 billion.