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Dubai Duty Free Executive VP to Receive Lifetime Achievement Award

Dubai Duty Free Executive VP to Receive Lifetime Achievement Award

Dubai (United Arab Emirates) – September 4, 2019 (travelindex.com) – Colm McLoughlin, Executive Vice Chairman and CEO of Dubai Duty-Free will be recognized with a Lifetime Achievement Award for his contribution, spanning over three decades, in shaping Dubai’s tourism, hospitality, and retail sectors. The award will be presented to him at the Middle East Hospitality Awards (MEHA) that will take place at the Ritz-Carlton DIFC on Wednesday 18th September.

The award recognizes Mr. McLoughlin’s commitment to promoting Dubai globally in line with the directive received from HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates, and Ruler of Dubai when setting up Dubai Duty-Free in 1983.

McLoughlin said, “I am thrilled and delighted that I have been selected to receive this award. I attribute it absolutely and totally to our team of staff and the effort they make in making our business successful and of course to my chairman HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum who has been terrific support at Dubai Duty-Free and our other operations since the beginning”.

McLoughlin explained that the airport retailer spends 2.5% of its annual turnover, which in 2018 reached US$2.015 billion, in promoting Dubai Duty-Free and the city of Dubai.

Dubai Duty-Free’s long-standing association with international sporting events such as Dubai Duty-Free Tennis Championships, the horse racing at Newbury and Ascot in the UK, and Dubai Duty-Free Irish Derby at the Curragh in Ireland, the Dubai Duty-Free Irish Open held at Lahinch Golf Club in Co. Clare, Ireland have all been instrumental in promoting Dubai globally.

“36 years ago there were two or three thousand hotel rooms in Dubai. We have seen a big change from that in the industry”, said the Lifetime Achievement awardee while concurring with statistics in Ventures Onsite Hotels Market Report indicating that ‘Dubai’s hotel room supply alone is expected to reach 132,000 in 2019, with the Emirate aiming to complete 160,000 hotel rooms by October 2020’.

The CEO of the world-famous airport retailer said, “Like shopping malls, airlines and roadworks, the hotel industry is part and parcel of the system that is essential in promoting tourism and visitors to Dubai”. He attributes the exponential growth of Dubai and its hospitality sector to “Dubai Government’s positive and definite attitude to make it work and make it the best in the world”.

Talking about relevance of trade shows like The Hotel Show for the hospitality, and travel and tourism industries in Dubai, McLoughlin said, “I think long-term events like the Hotel Show Dubai, now in its 20th year, are successful. I think the story has to continue all the time. It is the continued growth of shows like this that encourages so many visitors to come to Dubai”.

In conjunction with the 20th edition of The Hotel Show Dubai, and part of the Middle East Design and Hospitality Week, The Middle East Hospitality Awards is set to recognize and celebrate the most outstanding properties, projects and people in the Middle East’s vibrant hospitality industry.

About dmg Events
dmg events is a leading organiser of face-to-face events and a publisher of trade magazines. We aim to keep businesses informed and connect them with relevant communities to create vibrant marketplaces and to accelerate their business through face-to-face events.

dmg events organises more than 80 events across 25 countries, attracting over 425,000 attendees and delegates every year. The company’s portfolio of products includes many industry-leading events in the energy, construction, hospitality & design, coatings, and transportation sectors. ADIPEC, The Big 5, Gastech, EGYPS, The Hotel Show and INDEX are the company’s flagship events.

Founded in 1989, the company is headquartered in Dubai, UAE, and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Daily Mail and General Trust plc (DMGT, www.dmgt.co.uk), one of the largest media companies in the United Kingdom.

About DMGT
DMGT manages a portfolio of companies that provide businesses and consumers with compelling information, analysis, insight, events, news, and entertainment.  The Group takes a long-term approach to investment and has market-leading positions in consumer media, insurance risk, property information, education technology, energy information, and events & exhibitions.  In total, DMGT generates revenues of around £1.4bn.