Chalhoub Group Sees Tourism in Gulf Fueling Luxury Retail

PARIS — Luxury retailers and local officials across the Gulf are adapting their stores and services to cater to future waves of younger, digital savvy and luxury-hungry tourists, Chalhoub group president Patrick Chalhoub said Tuesday. “An enormous amount of investment in tourism and, in particular, luxury tourism is taking place in the Middle East in conjunction with the 2020 World Expo in Dubai,” said Chalhoub, speaking at a breakfast press event at the Hôtel de Crillon in Paris. The group presented its seventh white paper on the subject, drawn up with Condé Nast Traveller Middle East, before heading to London and Milan for similar presentations. The Dubai-based company operates more than 600 luxury boutiques in the Middle East, and owns labels including silverware-maker Christofle and fashion brand Ingie Paris. Tourism to the Middle East has reached 64 million, up 10 percent compared with a world average of 6 percent growth, likely more than doubling the number of visitors in the next two decades, noted the group, citing Word Tourism Organization figures. “For us this luxury tourism is an opportunity,” added Chalboub. Regional efforts to draw tourism include “shopping festivals,” which last year in Dubai drew a high proportion of foreigners, around 60 percent for

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