Dufry has put Eurasia and Asia at the heart of its strategic development for the Group.
In addition to the projects already disclosed in Kazakhstan, Bali, Sri Lanka, and Taiwan, Dufry has signed new projects in South Korea and China, all fuelled by its strategy of targeting growth in emerging markets and tourist destinations..
In South Korea, Dufry will operate duty free shops at Busan International Airport. In China, Dufry has won duty paid luxury retail concessions at Beijing Capital Airport and the company will also joins forces with Shenzhen Duty Free at Shenzhen Bao An International Airport.
Earlier this month, Dufry Thomas Julie Korea (DTJ), a partnership between Dufry and the South Korean firm Thomas Julie & Co. DTJ, won a bid to operate a duty free shop at the Busan Gimhae International Airport for five years.
DTJ will be the duty free retailer at Busan Airport in most core categories such as wine and spirits, confectionery, fashion and accessories, watches and jewellery, tobacco, electronics and souvenirs.
Special attention will be placed on the introduction of a mix of Korean products, showcasing the country’s heritage and culture to departing passengers. The shop is expected to open in the first quarter 2014 with 434 sqm and expanded in 2015 as part of the airport’s upgrading program the retail space.
Meanwhile, in China, Dufry and Beijing Airport have an agreement to operate duty paid shops for up to five years. Located in the new terminal 3D, the operations will comprise nine shops and cover nearly 1000 sqm of retail space and are expected to open progressively in the next nine months.
Dufry also has entered into a partnership with Shenzhen State Owned Duty Free Commodity (Group) to supply management consultancy services at the new international terminal of Shenzhen Bao An International Airport.
Dufry will work together with the partner to develop the retail concepts and supply core categories such as perfumes and cosmetics, food and confectionary as well as fashion, accessories, watches and jewellery. The operations at the new terminal are scheduled to open progressively from November.
“We are very pleased with the results achieved in the recent bidding processes in Asia. They are a milestone in the execution of Dufry´s strategy, which is based on emerging markets and touristic destinations. With these new projects, we have created a sizeable platform to even further strengthen our position in that region,” says Dufry CEO Julian Diaz.
With its recent achievements, Dufry will operate in 14 locations, 140 shops, in the Far East, Middle East and Central Asia, bringing the total number of countries in its global portfolio to 49.
