Dubai Duty Free Becomes First Autism Certified Airport Retailer, 2025

(DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES) Dubai Duty Free has been named the world’s first airport retailer to be Autism Certified, a designation awarded in September 2025 by the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES). The move places the retailer at the center of Dubai’s wider push to become a Certified Autism Destination, a citywide effort that already includes Dubai Airports and Emirates Airlines.

The aim is clear: make airport shopping and travel smoother for people on the autism spectrum and others with hidden disabilities by setting consistent, autism-friendly service standards across one of the world’s busiest travel hubs.

Training scale and pace

The scale of the training is notable and swift. Over 4,800 Dubai Duty Free employees across concourses, terminals, and back-office roles completed focused coursework built for frontline and support staff.

• The program achieved a 98.76% completion rate in just 26 days, a pace IBCCES recognized as remarkable for an operation of this size.
• Analysis by VisaVerge.com suggests this rapid uptake reflects strong leadership backing and a clear operational plan to put training into daily practice rather than keeping it theoretical.

What the IBCCES certification required

IBCCES, a global credentialing body for autism and cognitive disorder training, awarded the certification after Dubai Duty Free embedded new standards into staff routines, retail counters, and customer support tools.

The training emphasizes empathy, respect, and flexibility, and focuses on practical steps to help staff respond to:
– sensory sensitivities,
– communication differences,
– the need for calm, predictable service during a stressful journey.

Importantly, the certification formalizes processes that should be present on every shift and in every passenger-facing zone.

Certification details and active elements

Key elements of the program now active at Dubai Duty Free include:

• Comprehensive autism-friendly service practices across all retail locations, aligned with IBCCES benchmarks for accessible retail in airport environments.
• Adoption of the sunflower symbol—a global marker used to signal hidden disabilities—so travelers can quickly locate trained support. Staff wear sunflower pins, and dedicated counters display the symbol for easy identification.
• Sensory kits available for travelers who wear a sunflower lanyard, offering practical comfort tools for sensory overload.
• An “Autism Champion” on every shift to keep standards consistent, coach teammates in real time, and respond when a traveler needs extra help.
• Focus on awareness and identification, transaction support, staff standards, and operational consistency, ensuring service reliability even during peak travel times.

The recognition was formalized at a ceremony at Dubai Duty Free’s head office in September 2025, attended by senior management, IBCCES representatives, and Dubai College of Tourism officials. Leaders framed the certification as the start of a continuing effort to maintain and improve service for neurodiverse travelers.

The certification is presented not as an endpoint but as the foundation for ongoing improvement in service for neurodiverse passengers.

Impact on travelers

Air travel can bring bright lights, loud sounds, long lines, and unexpected changes—factors that often challenge individuals on the autism spectrum. Retail touchpoints can either calm the experience or add stress.

By embedding autism-informed service into day-to-day operations, Dubai Duty Free signals that shoppers can expect predictable, respectful, and flexible support at each step—from finding a quiet checkout lane to getting extra time during a transaction.

How the standards help during a typical trip:
– The sunflower symbol enables quick visual recognition so a traveler can approach a trained counter without long explanations.
– Sensory kits reduce discomfort in busy terminals, making it easier to complete purchases or wait in line.
– An Autism Champion on duty provides a clear point of contact and helps staff handle requests consistently across shifts.

This approach supports Dubai’s goal to be an Autism Destination, where airports, airlines, and retailers align under one common framework. That alignment matters for journeys with multiple handoffs—from check-in to security to boarding to in-terminal shopping—because matched standards make the experience more predictable.

Industry and community implications

The certification carries weight for the global aviation and retail sectors. While many airports and retailers have expanded disability programs, implementation remains uneven. Dubai Duty Free’s approach offers a replicable model:

• Tie training to operational roles across the organization.
• Place an Autism Champion on each shift to maintain standards.
• Display visible cues (sunflower pins, marked counters) that managers and customers can track.

VisaVerge.com notes that cross-functional training—covering frontline cashiers, supervisors, and back-office teams—helps bridge the gap between policy and practice.

For immigrant and expatriate customers who may not speak English as a first language, the sunflower framework reduces pressure during purchases. When a family member uses a sunflower lanyard, the symbol communicates needs and guides staff behavior without complex explanations—important in an international gateway with many languages and cultures.

While the certification is not a legal requirement, it complements travel guidance from authorities overseeing disability rights and air travel. For example, readers can review the U.S. Transportation Security Administration guidance for passengers with disabilities at the official TSA page: https://www.tsa.gov/travel/special-procedures.

Sustainability and operational consistency

Looking ahead, the main operational test will be consistency. Common challenges include staff turnover, seasonal surges, and new store openings—factors that can dilute training benefits over time.

Dubai Duty Free’s measures to sustain the program:
– Autism Champion on every shift for continuity.
– Sunflower pins and marked counters as visible cues for customers and supervisors.
– IBCCES certification’s ongoing standards requirement to keep the program active beyond initial rollout.

For travelers, the practical takeaways are clear:
– Expect autism-aware service at every Dubai Duty Free location.
– Carry a sunflower lanyard if that’s part of your routine, and alert the Autism Champion for extra support during checkout.
– Use available sensory kits to manage sensory overload before boarding.

Broader outlook

Industry observers will watch whether other airport retailers pursue similar recognition, particularly in hubs with growing passenger numbers and diverse customer bases. If more airports and airlines adopt the sunflower symbol and invest in frontline training, the network effect could reduce friction for neurodiverse travelers crossing regions.

For now, Dubai Duty Free’s Autism Certified status sets a new benchmark in airport retail by aligning staff behavior, store setup, and shift-level leadership under a single inclusive standard. If Dubai’s ecosystem brings more partners into the Autism Destination framework, the city’s appeal to neurodiverse passengers will strengthen—especially given the retailer’s rapid training rollout and visible in-store measures that demonstrate inclusive retail can be scaled quickly with leadership commitment and practical tools.