Dubai spearheads C&T growth in Middle East

Published: 18-Aug-2008

Dubai’s Airport Free Zone has been identified as a major growth hub for the cosmetics and toiletries sector in the Middle East, with ten global cosmetics brands opening branch offices in the Free Zone in recent months.


Dubai’s Airport Free Zone has been identified as a major growth hub for the cosmetics and toiletries sector in the Middle East, with ten global cosmetics brands opening branch offices in the Free Zone in recent months.

Sales of cosmetics and personal care items for the Middle East region are estimated to have grown 12% annually over the past three years, with sales value put at AED7.7bn (US$2.1bn) during 2007.

The result has seen an increase in the number of premium cosmetic brands targeting the Gulf region, among them Chanel, Clarins, Estée Lauder, Perfumes Loewe, P&G, Guerlain, Revlon, Givenchy, Christian Dior and Elizabeth Arden.

“Cosmetics and fragrance companies are being lured by the tax free and 100% ownership incentives being offered by the Dubai Airport Free Zone,” commented Dr Mohammed Al Zarouni, director general, Dubai Airport Free Zone. “A new trend we are seeing is that quite a number of these companies are coming and setting up Middle East regional offices in Dubai’s Airport Free Zone. The consumption of cosmetics and perfumes in the region is ranked among the highest per capita worldwide, with an average purchase per head of around AED 1,226 annually.”

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