Samsung Experience Store opens at Hamad International Airport

New store has been performing strongly and has already contributed a 30 percent growth to mobile sales at Qatar Duty Free 

Dubai, United Arab Emirates –August 17, 2015 – Samsung Gulf Electronics has partnered with Qatar Duty Free to open its first-ever Samsung Experience Store within a Middle-Eastern International airport. Located at Hamad International Airport, the new Samsung Experience Store brings transformative technologies to passengers passing through Qatar’s state-of-the-art airport facility. Now, for the first time, customers on-the-go can benefit from a premium retail experience and have access to Samsung’s latest offerings in mobile, cameras and tablets as they prepare for their next destination. In a first for any travel retail shop, the new Samsung Experience Store offers repairs and software upgrades, to travellers moving through the airport. After three months of operations the new store has been performing strongly and has already contributed  30 percent growth to mobile sales at Qatar Duty Free.

Qatar is a fast growing market and Hamad International Airport plays a significant role in the country’s expansion plans. Setting a new global standard in travel experiences, the facility has been designed to reflect Qatar’s new wave of modern development and will feature 40,000 square meters of retail space. The Samsung Experience Store at Hamad International Airport is located within the electronic retail section, where tech-savvy travelers will find themselves thoroughly immersed in a world of state of the art technology from top international brands. 

“We are delighted that Hamad International Airport is the very first international airport to house a Samsung Experience Store. Hamad is not just an airport; it’s a destination for more than 28 million passengers a year. It is the ideal place for us to connect both new and loyal customers to our expanding product range of mobile devices,” said Hayssam Yassine, Head of IM division at Samsung Gulf Electronics.

He added, “The new location at Hamad International Airport gives consumers the same exciting and attentive in-store experience offered by our other SES stores around the world. At this unique travel retail store, passengers are able to share, play, and learn in an innovative and exciting environment that is designed with the customer in mind.” 

Keith Hunter, Senior Vice President at QDF, added, “The opening of the new Samsung Experience Store at Hamad International Airport is an exciting development for Qatar Duty Free. This is an original and dynamic concept that we are proud to introduce to our customers shopping at the airport. This innovative store appeals to those who wish to experience world-class technology in a highly interactive retail environment. Qatar Duty Free currently operates more than 70 retail outlets at HIA and we are constantly expanding our offering by adding new stores to ensure there is something for everyone travelling through the airport.” He continued, “We are attracting prestigious brand names to our duty free offering at HIA. We are delighted to introduce the Samsung Experience Store at HIA, which offers the best in world-class technology to our customers in a highly interactive retail space.” 

More than just an electronics store, the Samsung Experience Store is a cultural and experiential hub where customers can capture and print photos of Qatar’s landmarks in the ‘Galaxy Studio’. Meanwhile, an experience table in the electronic retail zone enables customers to try Samsung’s latest range of cameras, tablets and mobiles. The store also supports light product repairs, including cosmetic parts replacement, consultations, software upgrades, and data transfers.