Dubai International Airport targets world’s top aviation hub by retail sales

Dubai has set its sights on becoming the world’s top hub by retail sales this year as a flood of Chinese passengers adds to a shopping spree.  Spending at Dubai International Airport should reach $2.1 billion in 2015, up from $1.9 billion last year, when 80 days of runway repairs cut receipts by about $50 million. The two hubs have been trading positions in recent years, with Dubai ranked first in 2013 according to Duty Free analyst Generation Research. Dubai International’s overall sales last year were led by 3.2 million with 3.4 metric tons of Gold items worth almost $164 million. Dubai International’s customer count increased 6.1 per cent last year to 70.5 million, making it the top hub worldwide for cross-border passengers, a title held by Heathrow for decades.