Lagardère Travel Retail wins 10-year Duty Free tender at Prague Airport
Václav Havel Airport Prague announced today that Lagardère Travel Retail is the winner of the duty free tender for 24 business units with a total area of 4,372sqm, including the walk-through at Terminal 1 that Lagardère Travel Retail already operates.
After the start of the contract in January 2020 Lagardère Travel Retail will renovate the stores for several months so that several are partially open by the end of March and that all 24 business units are fully operational by June 2020.
As reported by Prague Airport, they wanted to partner with a duty free operator with a global vision that was able to bring an offer tailored to individual passenger segments, new exclusive brands, modern store designs, consumer facing digital, new sales channels and, an extensive local range of products. The decision on the selection of the winner was based on the quality of services, the product range and the offered rent.
Commenting on his decision to award the contract to Lagardère Travel Retail, Václav Řehoř, Chairman of the Prague Airport Board of Directors said “as part of the concession procedure, we have received high-quality and in all respects balanced offers from three world leaders in the duty free business. We are pleased that the best offer finally came from Lagardère Travel Retail, with which we can continue our very good and mutually friendly cooperation in creating a modern duty free product focused on the customers and their current needs.”
The stores will offer different assortments and brands to address the specificities of each customer profile and will be adapted not only to the nationality of the passengers, but also to their age, income, needs, and travel and shopping habits. One of the novelties presented was to create a Czech white label range of local products to appeal to a new audience. The retailer will also bring specially trained staff with broad language skills, special emphasis on Asian languages, and innovative sales channels.
The store designs will be stylish and modern and will make clear references to Prague and the Czech Republic, its history, architecture and art. Sense of Place will also be experienced through the product assortment offered to passengers. There will be a total of 767 brands, 140 of which will be completely new. Over 80 brands will be local, 32 of which will appear at Prague Airport for the first time. More than 90 exclusive product lines will only be available at the airport. The main concept is Aelia Duty Free, and it is adapted to the specifics of each terminal and location – Aelia Duty Free, Aelia Duty Free Beauty, and Aelia Duty Free Smart Traveler. Throughout the customer journey and across all categories the retailer will introduce immersive and evolving experiences, as well as vibrant and interactive areas to engage with all type of passengers across all categories – fine food, souvenirs, beers, fragrances, skincare and make-up, confectionery, toys.
The retailer also offers a fully rejuvenated omnichannel retail strategy that will offer a next generation digital marketplace, click & collect service, new frictionless payment solutions to ease the shopping experience as well as an airport-specific loyalty program in partnership with the airlines. In addition Lagardère Travel Retail proposed a collaborative approach to innovation to the airport, with frequent sessions to ensure a constant relevance of the digital roadmap.
Frédéric Chevalier, COO Europe, Middle East & Africa commented “We have enjoyed a strong and successful partnership with Prague Airport for years and this win is a significant milestone for the group. Our partnership is stronger than ever as we embark on this new journey with a shared vision of what travel retail should be today and for the next decade”
“We know what passengers want and how to bring it to them. We will deliver a completely renewed shopping experience with new retail technologies and a continous renewal of our offer to showcase the best of Prague and the Czech Republic alongside the trendiest brands and travel retail exclusives. Our unique glocal organization – with experienced and empowered local teams supported by the expertise of the group - will enable us to do just that”, commented Richard Procházka, CEO Lagardère Travel Retail Czech Republic.
