QATAR/VIETNAM. At The Trinity Forum in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam last week Qatar Duty Free (QDF) unveiled what it described as a “groundbreaking” data-sharing platform called 36Q.

It will be accessible to all QDF partners from 1 January 2025.

Speaking on the opening day (5 November) of The Trinity Forum, Qatar Airways Chief Retail and Hospitality Officer Thabet Musleh described how the date platform has been three years in the making.

It offers real-time data on Hamad International Airport’s traveller demographic from age, nationality, sex, frequency of travel, what they have bought, what shops they have bought from and where they are flying.

Described as the most comprehensive data-sharing platform in travel retail, 36Q enables brand owners to better understand passengers and their shopping behaviour at Hamad International Airport.​

Musleh said: “This platform offers everything to enable QDF and our partners to deliver a great commercial benefit for us all. We’re not selling this data. This data will be available to our partners at no charge, but there is a commitment to using this data to drive mutual success.”

He underscored the importance of using data to “create the ultimate customer experience”, adding: “We’re making sure we deliver something for everyone no matter what their budget is. We’ve got everything from basic needs to the ultimate luxury and everything in between, not just with retail but with experiences too.”

36Q aligns with QDF’s wider strategy to unlock the full power of its owned data throughout its own holistic ‘Trinity’ ecosystem (Qatar Airways, Hamad International Airport and Qatar Duty Free).

As the only Trinity model that connects an airline, airport and retailer in the channel, Qatar Airways Group holds a holistic view of their customer preferences, Musleh explained.

{Thabet Musleh’s presentation was preceded by this powerful video produced by Moodie Davitt STUDIO*, which captured the role and power of imagination in creating a world-class airport commercial offer}

Underscoring the power of this ecosystem, he commented: “What we have is an integrated ecosystem, which is one of a kind. We’re doing more than just imagining. We’re turning these great, ground-breaking ideas into reality.

“We’re pioneering a future of elevated airport experiences and an integrated system does deliver a special advantage. Having the airline, airport and retailer as one allows us to operate as a true Trinity when it comes to collaboration and data sharing.”

During his keynote presentation, Musleh presented a snapshot of ‘Sarah Smith’, described as an average traveller at Hamad International Airport. Using Qatar Airways Group’s integrated data ecosystem, Musleh presented data on how often Sarah Smith travels, what time she arrives to the airport, how often she likes to buy and what she likes to buy.

He added: “We are able to tap into that information and talk to Sarah before, during and after her trip, driving commercial benefits for all of us. With this data, we’re creating the ultimate customer experience. Most importantly, what it allows us to do is create a seamless journey for our customers.

“By sharing data, we’re able to understand who our passengers are, what nationality they are, what age they are, where they travel to and how often they travel. We’re leveraging these insights to make strategic, data-driven decisions.”

Musleh also urged the industry to embrace innovation and excellence to deliver memorable experiences to travellers. “How do you stop people who aren’t hungry or thirsty and get them to come into the store? At Qatar Airways Group we are concept pioneers, this comes from having that full integrated model and thinking about the customer first.

“I truly believe that this model – when you have a long-term plan – delivers the best possible results.”

During his speech, Musleh highlighted key examples of how Qatar Airways Group is delivering ‘the ultimate customer experience’ in Doha, highlighting the Oreo Café, Souq Al Matar and a recent pop-up campaign for Yves Saint Laurent Beauté as case studies.

He introduced ‘Sama’, Qatar Airways Group’s AI-powered Virtual Assistant. During a fun and enlightening conversation with The Moodie Davitt Report Founder & Chairman Martin Moodie, Sama demonstrated how she can help travellers enjoy a seamless shopping journey by making bespoke shopping and dining recommendations based on data insights.

Musleh also highlighted the Dior Spa, which offers the world’s first Dior Barber experience. He said: “When a brand such as Dior trusts you to open their first barber shop in the world, that’s not based on volumes but about partnership and a long-term trust that you can only build when you have a long-term vision.

“This year we are +29% above last year,” he added. “I made a promise to our partners in Cannes last year that we are going to double our business in three years and we are going to deliver that through data. Let’s elevate airport experiences all over the world together.” ✈

Click the YouTube video above to watch the concluding Episode 3 of Airport Wonders of the World with Qatar Duty Free and Hamad International Airport produced by Moodie Davitt STUDIO* while below you can view Episodes 1 and 2