Eid holidays provide a fillip for Qatar’s retail sector

Qatar's retail sector got a significant boost during the Eid al-Adha holidays, bringing a windfall to several shops and boutiques across the country, it is learnt.Malls and shopping centres witnessed a surge in consumer spending during the festive season, taking advantage of the various promotions, special discounts and other exclusive deals offered by retailers.An employee at a popular clothing chain said the Eid holidays this year attracted a large number of shoppers, both residents and visitors from neighbouring GCC countries, who thronged their stores at major malls in Doha."We hit record sales in just four days, though we also saw our sales rising a week before the Eid al-Adha holidays, a lot of people want to have new and branded shirts, pants, shoes, and other accessories at a discount,” he said, adding that shoppers also bought items from their winter collection, which were also on sale.This was evident from the remarkable increase in footfall at major malls and shopping centres throughout the holidays as many people indulge in buying new outfits, gifts, and household items, in addition to hanging around for lunch or dinner.A sales lady at a cosmetics boutique lauded the Qatar government’s efforts in attracting more tourists via the Hayya card, saying that they received many customers who are visiting the country for a number of weeks."Aside from the promotions and special discounts, a lot of our customers told us that they like the products on offer here than in their home countries in terms of quality,” she said.It is learnt that the rising number of tourists coming to Qatar can be attributed not only in the ease of entering the country but also due to the unique shopping experience it offers. Qatar has a diverse retail landscape: from renowned international brands to local boutiques and specialty stores that provide shoppers with more options to choose from.Cinema houses at different locations, including malls, also benefited from the retail boom, enticing a huge number of movie-goers to watch their much-awaited films last month."You cannot just say no to your children when it comes to movies like Elemental and Flash, and because it falls on a holiday. In any case, it is a family day so I’m sure every family enjoys watching the films together,” said Filipino expatriate Connie S.An employee of a popular cinema chain said that they take advantage of the holidays as many people prefer to go to movie houses, especially during this summer. He said they also capitalise on such occasions, offering snacks in demand such as popcorn, nachos, sandwiches, and cold drinks.He said it gets extremely busy during the Eid holidays, often offering their employees overtime pay just for them to work during their weekly offs.