Qatar Duty Free named ‘Airport Retailer of Year’ at 2023 Frontier Awards in Cannes

Qatar Duty Free (QDF) won the top prize of ‘Airport Retailer of the Year’ at the 2023 Frontier Awards in Cannes, France on Wednesday.
At the glamorous black-tie event – often referred to as the ‘Oscars’ of the travel retail industry, QDF was the most awarded company; picking up three trophies.
Airport Retailer of the Year was the most coveted title, with QDF winning this accolade for the very first time.
The judges recognised the “unparalleled” ambition and excellence in execution of QDF over the last 12 months.
QDF was also given the following awards – ‘Best New Shop Opening for Timevallée’, ‘Outstanding Contribution’ for senior vice-president Thabet Musleh
Hamad International Airport chief operating officer Badr al-Meer, said, “This is a tremendous achievement for Qatar Duty Free to receive multiple accolades at the Frontier Awards this year. With a customer-first approach, we constantly review our passenger offering at Hamad International Airport, to ensure we meet traveller requirements and offer an unparallel experience, hence our retail and food and beverage offering is diverse, unique and includes multiple industry firsts.
“This is only the beginning as we continue to expand and introduce new experiences at the airport, and look forward to welcoming global travellers to one of the world’s best airports.”
Musleh said, “These awards are truly for an exceptional team. We are incredibly honoured to receive these prestigious accolades and in particular Airport Retailer of the Year for the first time in the history of Qatar Duty Free. From our vision and ambition, walking the talk through to world-class execution with countless firsts, exclusives and unique experiences, Qatar Duty Free is fully committed to setting new standards. Speaking on behalf of the four thousand-strong QDF team, we whole-heartedly thank DFNI, the judges, our partners and the wider industry for this recognition.”