The Duty Free World Council (DFWC) Academy has announced that Qatar Duty Free is enrolling 50 of its team members in the academy’s certificate, making the travel retailer the largest participant in the certificate programme to date.

The academy was originally formed in 2016 as a key arm of the Duty Free World Council with a mission to raise industry standards through the provision of responsible retailing online training courses designed to equip participants with core selling skills and information. There are several courses, ranging from a certificate course to open-to-all training courses in key categories. Delivery is through a partnership with ACI World Training’s Online Learning Centre.

Since the creation of the academy there have been more than 7,000 students across many levels including industry figures from the advisory board, who provide feedback to course content by completing the courses themselves.
Retailers sending members of their teams on the courses are Avolta, 3Sixty Duty Free and Dubai Duty Free, and Harding+ in the cruise sector.

DFWC President, Sarah Branquinho said: “I am delighted to welcome Thabet Musleh’s team to the certificate course programme and know that they will also be providing us with the valuable and ongoing feedback that allows us to constantly improve content and delivery. The academy has made great progress in the last year with fantastic course registration numbers in 2024. It is encouraging to see that retailers like QDF, brands and agencies alike are putting some traction behind training their teams in an industry leading way.”

Qatar Airways Chief Retail and Hospitality Officer, Thabet Musleh said: “Our staff are the heart and soul of our business’s success, and investing in them is one of our greatest priorities. At Qatar Duty Free, focusing on people and responsible retailing is crucial to our retail strategy. We are proud to select 50 of our top team members for certified courses offered by the Duty Free World Council Academy. Together, we will continue to develop our teams and elevate the industry even further.”