Online sales in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region are now expected to exceed $50 billion by the end of 2022, up from the previously estimated $26 billion, due to Covid-19, according to DeVere Forster, Chief Operating Officer, Dubai CommerCity, speaking at a RetailME event, as reported by Trade Arabia.

According to a study by Dubai Economy, the UAE is currently the most advanced e-commerce market in the region, with an estimated annual growth of 23 percent between 2018 and 2022.

International luxury platforms, such as MyTheresa and Net-a-Porter have increased their visibility in the region in recent years, launching Arabic versions and special modest collections to appeal to local clientele. It hasn’t been all good news, though, with local e-commerce fashion e-tailor Themodist.com folding last April, three-years after a much-hyped launch.

Individual luxury brands, including Louis Vuitton and Bulgari, have also focused their attention on e-commerce in the region, launching their own self-operated online operations over the past year as Covid-19 has kept people at home and out of their local malls.