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Tag: Australia

  • Australia, Indonesia boosting tourism and economic growth

    Australia, Indonesia boosting tourism and economic growth

    Australia is expanding efforts to encourage two-way tourism between Australia and Indonesia as a key driver of shared economic growth and more knowledge of each others country.

    Australian Ambassador to Indonesia Paul Grigson said tourism powers economies and supports communities.

    “We want to increase tourism in both directions. The Indonesian Government has already recognised the potential economic boost a strong tourism industry can deliver,” the ambassador was quoted as saying by the Australian Embassy here on its website.

    According to the ambassador, Australian tourism can help Indonesia realise that vision. More than a million Australians visit Indonesia every year. Australian tourists contribute 18 trillion IDR (AUD$1.8 billion) a year to the Indonesian economy, Ambassador Grigson said on Tuesday.

    He said as Indonesia seeks to develop its tourism industry beyond Bali, ease of travel is integral to its success. Indonesia has already experienced a 19 per cent increase in tourists from countries which were granted visa free access in 2015.

    “A quarter of all tourists to Bali are Australian. We want to see more Australians come to Indonesia and experience sunrise at Mount Bromo, taste the spices of Padang and watch the sunset at Borobudur,” Grigson told Indonesian tourism industry representatives in a speech in Jakarta.

    Beyond these economic benefits, tourism builds links between people. It challenges stereotypes. It opens up new worlds and greater understanding.

    “I want more Indonesians to visit Australia.We have world class cuisine, galleries and unique experiences. With famous wildlife, fabulous wine and fantastic weather, Australia beats any other destination,” he said.

    Australia was the tenth most popular destination for Indonesian tourists in 2014 with a total of 149,800 visitors, up 7.6 per cent from 2013.

    More Indonesians travelling to Australia will make expanded flight routes between Australia and Indonesia more viable in the long-term, bringing benefits to both our economies.

    “Indonesian investors may also be missing out on opportunities to capitalise on some of the major tourism infrastructure projects currently underway in Australia. In 2014 alone, investment in the Australian tourism industry was valued at $53.7 billion,” he said.

    He added that the more Australians and Indonesians experience each others countries, the deeper their connections become.

    “The tourism industry is integral to the prosperity of both our countries. Now is the time for us to reach out to each other as neighbours and shape our futures together,” Grigson said.

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  • Chinese demand to drive growth in Australian luxury

    Chinese demand to drive growth in Australian luxury

    A surge in demand for luxury goods has seen Chinese-led spending overwhelmingly turn to international markets including Australia, according to the latest research from property group CBRE.

    According to the latest report, Luxury Retail 2015, 70 per cent of all Chinese-led luxury purchases are now transacted overseas, resulting in increased sales across the world, including Australian markets.

    “Chinese purchasers account for 30 per cent of the luxury spend worldwide and 70 per cent of these purchases take place overseas, showing that the downward shift in their economy has prompted Asian consumers to rethink their purchasing habits,” said CBRE head of research and consulting EMEA, Andrew Phipps.

    “The advent of the new ‘anti-extravagance legislation’ in China and their consumers’ growing awareness of price differentials of up to 70 per cent has led to many preferring to make their purchases overseas, where the prices are far more attractive,” said Phipps.

    CBRE head of retail brokerage leasing, Australia, Leif Olson said international brands were looking to capitalise on the uptick in demand for luxury goods by securing a presence in Australia’s biggest fashion hubs.

    “In 2015, the Australian retail landscape has transformed significantly, with a plethora of global brands lining up to open stores across the country,” said Olson. “This momentum shows no sign of slowing down, with affordable luxury brands to lead the charge in Australia over the next year, while top tier brands will look at securing flagship assets in core locations.”

    Olson said the next wave of growth in Australia’s luxury retail market would be centred on the expansion of retailers in Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide; the addition of food and beverage to luxury retail; and growth of premium childrenswear.

    “The addition of food and beverage to luxury retail stores is an untapped market in Australia, and a widespread concept already seen in the world’s largest fashion meccas, including Hong Kong and Macau,” said Olson.

    “Not everyone is in a position to splash out on a luxury branded handbag or wallet, but being able to have a coffee or meal at Armani, for example, broadens the brand’s appeal and makes it more accessible for everyone.“

    Luxury childrenswear represents another opportunity for growth in Australia says Olson.

    “Shifting the appeal of a brand from adults to families will be a major focus of retailers expanding in Australia, with this helping them to engage and reinforce relationships with their key clients – the parents – while building their future consumer base from the next generation.”

  • Study reveals Asian dining spending trends

    Study reveals Asian dining spending trends

    One in three millennials in Asia are eating at fine dining restaurants at least once a month – more often than those aged over 30.

    The surprise finding is one of a list of revelations uncovered by a MasterCard survey of Asian dining trends away from home. It featured consumers in 17 Asia Pacific markets: Australia, Bangladesh, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Myanmar, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.

    The most frequent fine-diners in Asia Pacific are millennials (18-29 year olds) from China – on average they visit more expensive establishments two or three times a month. This is higher than the average for millennials across the region and higher than any other age group.

    When choosing where to eat, consumers in Asia Pacific still prefer to rely on word of mouth and recommendations from friends and family (50 per cent). This was applicable for all consumers, regardless of age group, with even millennials trusting word of mouth recommendations (52 per cent) more than online reviews (38 per cent).

    This is despite the fact that more than a third of millennials (36 per cent) post comments and reviews of their dining experiences online. This is especially true of Chinese (61 per cent) and Thai (52 per cent) millennials, where more than half of the young people polled regularly post reviews after a meal.

    Beyond millennials, people in Thailand (39 per cent) and China (30 per cent) are also the most likely to spend more on dining over the next six months with around one in three indicating they plan to eat at more expensive establishments.

    But while consumers may be enjoying fine dining, they are still cost conscious. Sixty-four per cent of consumers in Asia Pacific regularly check for discounts or dining deals from coupon websites, mobile applications or credit card promotions. Sixty-eight per cent of millennials regularly look out for deals before choosing a place to eat.

    Eric Schneider, regional head, Asia Pacific, with MasterCard Advisors, said Asia has always had a strong dining out culture and so it is not surprising that affluent millennials in the region are ‘foodies,’ with many sharing their dining experiences on social media and posting reviews online.

    “While the survey has shown that people are increasingly moving from the hawker centres and into restaurants, young people are still cost conscious, taking a practical and savvy approach by looking for discounts and deals. Young people also still rely on word of mouth recommendations, despite many posting online reviews of dining spots. As Asia’s economies continue to grow, and with technology and social media revolutionizing the dining experience, people will increasingly demand top quality experiences when dining out,” he said.

    Other findings from the survey included:

    • Overall, consumers in Asia Pacific are not looking to make any significant changes to their dining out plans with 61 per cent of all consumers indicating they will look to eat out at the same frequency in the next six months. Twenty per cent plan to eat out more and 19 per cent plan to eat out less in the next six months.
    • The most popular dining option for consumers in Asia Pacific are mid-range restaurants and cafes, followed by fast food outlets and then hawker centres and food courts.
    • Consumers in the Philippines (44 per cent) are looking to tighten their belts with close to one in two planning to eat at less expensive venues in the next six months. Forty-nine per cent also plan to eat out less regularly.
    • A significant proportion of older consumers are going online to check for dining discounts whether on coupon websites/applications or credit card promotions. More than one-third of consumers aged 55 years old and above (36 per cent) indicated they regularly do so before deciding on a dining option.
    • Consumers in China (58 per cent), Taiwan (44 per cent) and Thailand (44 per cent) are the most likely to book dining deals on coupon sites or coupon applications; while consumers in Bangladesh (1 per cent) and Indonesia (11 per cent) were least likely to do so.
    • Diners in Thailand (60 per cent) and China (57 per cent) are most likely to post comments or reviews on social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter with about one in two respondents in these markets reporting that they regularly post comments online following their dining experience.

    The results are based on interviews with 8698 individuals aged 18 to 64 years-old.

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  • Mujosh makes Australian debut

    Mujosh makes Australian debut

    Mujosh, the Hong Kong fashion eyewear brand, has opened its first store in Australia – at Melbourne Central mall in the city’s CBD.

    Just five years old, Mujosh has already opened stores in Thailand and Malaysia. Australia is its third overseas market entered with a specialty store, although it has distribution agreements in other markets, including Japan.

    “We hand picked a selection including our bestsellers and limited-edition designer series for our customers in Australia,” said Grace Zhang, director of international business division with Mujosh.

    “The latest Mujosh collections will also be unveiled in here at the same time as it will be in other territories.”

    “It is exciting that we can bring Mujosh to our customers in Australia,” said Alan Chen, the brand’s founder.

    “After five years of fast but solid development, Mujosh decided to expand into the international market at the beginning of 2015. Having our first store in Australia is an important milestone for our international business development.”

    Managed by GPT, Melbourne Central located in the heart of Melbourne, attracts a wide variety of customers from the inner suburbs of the city.

    Mujosh was founded by “a group of young creative rule-breakers who believe glasses are not only tools to improve eyesight, but also fashion accessories to differentiate wearers and make them stand out from the crowd,” the company explains.

  • Harvey Norman expands with new flagship megastore

    Harvey Norman expands with new flagship megastore

    Australian department store giant Harvey Norman has expanded its presence in Singapore with a new flagship store in the Central Business District despite a downturn in the retail sector that has crippled many operators here.

    The three-storey, 100,000 sq ft superstore, officially opened in Millenia Walk on Thursday, may seem a risky move but chief executive Katie Page shrugged off notions that she may be betting against the market odds.

    “The retail business is competitive all the time, it didn’t just start becoming challenging. We’ve been in this business for 32 years and there is not one year for me that hasn’t been competitive,” she told The Straits Times .

    “You have to keep evolving your business, you have to make it appealing to your customers, give them an experience. You don’t just open a store, not put in the effort like (the flagship store), and expect customers to shop with you.”

    The megastore, which has replaced Harvey Norman’s old 45,000 sq ft outlet in Millenia Walk, is the largest homemaker department store in the CBD.

    The expansion comes at a time when retailer businesses across Singapore are suffering from cut-throat competition, high operating costs and fragile consumer sentiment.

    Well-known brands such as French retailer Carrefour and the Japanese fashion label Lowrys Farm have beaten a retreat from Singapore in recent times.

    The challenge is also evident in Millenia Walk, with Japanese department store Parco shutting its doors in February last year.

    But Ms Page stressed that she has no issue with the location, which was the site for Harvey Norman’s first store in 2001.

    She said the massive floor size is the strategic advantage she has been seeking for years in Singapore.

    “We never had the space for furniture and bedding like we do now, and in Millenia Walk, we have the opportunity to show Singapore what the Harvey Norman brand truly is.

    “So when some retailers say it’s tough for them to do business, I say it’s tough for us that we had not been able to show our full brand like we do in Australia or Malaysia.

    “Having a flagship like this sets the brand, something you can’t do online. You must have the physical space that tells the world what you’re about.”

    Ms Page declined to reveal how much was invested in the new shop, saying only that it was a significant amount for which its return can be achieved “very quickly”.

    “We will know over the next six months where this store really sits within our group in business terms, but I am thinking that this will be as good as our No. 1 store in the world,” she said.

    Harvey Norman, which operates 15 outlets in Singapore, has included some novel features in the shop, including Singapore’s first Fujifilm Wonder Photo Shop and the first Microsoft in-store outlet.

    Ms Page added: “When I sat down with (Millenia Walk owner and) Pontiac Land’s Kwee Liong Phing – a very good friend of mine – about 12 months ago to discuss our plans, we decided for it to be nothing short of the best homemaker department store in the world.

    “This is our largest store in Asia and we want it to be our hub for the region. We’ve got 100,000 sq ft… right in the middle of the city centre. I don’t think you will find that combination anywhere in Asia.”

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  • Telstra retail boss resigns after short stint in the job

    Telstra retail boss resigns after short stint in the job

    Telstra head of retail Karsten Wildberger has resigned after less than two months in the job.

    Wildberger is leaving the telco for ‘personal reasons’ and will return to Germany around the middle of next year to take up an executive role outside the telecommunications industry.

    Wildberger was appointed to the retail role when Telstra undertook a management reshuffle after of the resignation of Gordon Ballantyne. Wildberger, who had been an executive in Telstra’s consumer division since 2013, replaced Ballantyne as retail group executive.

    Telstra CEO Andy Penn announced Wildberger’s resignation this morning, saying he was sorry that Dr Wildberger would be leaving Telstra, “as he was a very capable telecommunications executive who had contributed to Telstra’s progress”.

    “Karsten is a great executive.  We will be disappointed to see him go but understand his personal reasons.  Karsten brings great energy and passion to our business and has significant global experience.”

    Penn said a successor to Wildberger will be announced in the near future.

    Wildberger is a former partner and managing director with The Boston Consulting Group and held Executive Vice President roles in Finance, Sales and Marketing for Deutsche Telekom in the UK and Germany. He also worked with Vodafone as an executive and interim CEO in Romania and is a Director of the Telstra Foundation and Telstra Ventures.

    The Telstra Retail business includes consumer and business divisions, product and digital business units with broader enterprise-wide responsibilities and a strong focus on customer advocacy.  The division is responsible for a significant portion of the Telstra’s revenue and profit.

    In a brief statement, Wildberger said “I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at Telstra and in Australia and am excited by the company’s prospects.

    “I was privileged to be selected by Andy Penn to lead the retail team.  I am grateful to this incredible company, its people and its customers for three years of achievement and inspiration.”

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  • Zara Home to launch its online platform in Australia

    Zara Home to launch its online platform in Australia

    Zara Home, the Inditex Group trademark devoted to homewear and home decor, is due to launch its online platform in Australia (www.zarahome.com) on 3 December.

    This launch marks the start of Inditex’s e-commerce operations in the Southern Hemisphere. This move emulates the decision taken back in 2007 to use Zara Home as the first Group retail format to spearhead online sales. The rollout of Inditex’s first virtual store in Australasia coincides, moreover, with the opening of the chain’s 500th establishment, namely a 480m2 flagship store in Sydney’s Pitt Street Mall.

    The product catalogue available at the new online store includes home textiles from sheets and towels to tablecloths as well as a selection of furniture, dishware, cutlery, home decoration objects and gift items; in short, all the same products as are available in the physical stores.

    The e-commerce platform will also be configured for the chain’s official app which is available in iOS and Android format. www.zarahome.com users will be offered new items weekly and monthly lookbooks and videos with all the latest trends.
    To celebrate its arrival in Australia, all orders placed online during the first week following the launch will enjoy free delivery.

    Zara Home store #500

    In parallel to the arrival of www.zarahome.com in the Australian market, the Inditex Group’s homeware chain will inaugurate its 500th store in Sydney’s Pitt Street Mall. The new establishment, a two-storey flagship store spanning 480m2, will accommodate all of the brand’s collections, including the Zara Home Kids line.

    The establishment will showcase an innovative store design, in keeping with the newest Zara Home image being deployed worldwide. The architecture team has sought to respect the building’s original façade, which is punctuated by characteristic gold logos and white lattice anagrams on the windows.

    The store combines a vanguard and elegant design with a penchant for simplicity and respect for nature, as is evident in the materials used. The neutral colour palette, the use of chestnut timber and marble floors which echo mother-of-pearl are some of the hallmark traits of this new Zara Home store in Sydney.

    As with the rest of the Zara Home stores around the world, the Sydney store will launch two collections a year. To this end, the design teams will present ideas which pick up on the latest trends each season. In parallel, the product range will be refreshed with new items twice a week.

    About Zara Home
    Zara Home is the Inditex Group chain specialised in homewear and home decor. Its collections take their inspiration from the latest fashion trends and materialise in a catalogue encompassing home textiles, such as bedding, towels and tablecloths, as well as furniture, dishware, cutlery, ornaments, gift items, loungewear and a line of bathroom and bodycare products. Since its launch in 2003, Zara Home has grown rapidly and its footprint currently extends to 62 markets, including Australia, with a total of 500 stores.

    Moreover, it sells its products online in 22 markets. Underpinned by a team of over 3,500 professionals, the brand offers the latest trends in home decor and fashion every season, restocking and rolling out new products across its store network every week.

    Zara Home – the milestones

    • 2003 – Zara Home was set up as an Inditex Group retail format in the month of August. By the end of that year it had already opened 26 stores: 22 in Spain, two in Portugal, one in the UK and one in Greece.
    • 2004 – Zara Home registered substantial growth in its second year in existence, opening 36 new stores and entering two new markets: Mexico and Netherlands.
    • 2005 – The trademark forged ahead with its expansion, opening 48 new establishments and penetrating nine new countries by year-end: Italy, Belgium, Cyprus, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Andorra.
    • 2006 – Zara Home disembarked in France. By October of that year, the Inditex Group store network reached the 3,000 mark as Zara Home opened a new store in Valencia. The brand ended that year with 152 stores worldwide.
    • 2007 – Zara Home penetrated four new markets: Qatar, Jordan, Oman and Lebanon. That same year it would initiate online selling in 14 European markets. Sales floor expansion, meanwhile, continued apace, with 52 new store openings.
    • 2008 – Zara Home established itself in four new countries: Romania, Malta, Bahrain and Morocco. That year it also inaugurated a flagship store in Saint Petersburg (Russia) in a neoclassical building on the city’s emblematic Nevsky street, with new openings that year tallying 35.
    • 2009 – Zara Home opened the doors of its first ‘eco-efficient’ store, on Portal del L’Angel street in Barcelona. It was the first European establishment to obtain LEED certification, endorsing compliance with the most stringent sustainable building standards. It also opened its first store in Poland that year and ended 2009 with 22 new openings.
    • 2010 – Zara Home unveiled a flagship store in Milan (Italy), on Piazza San Babila. That same year, a total of 27 new stores opened their doors for the first time.
    • 2011 – The homeware brand opened its maiden store in Asia: in Peking. In November of that year, Zara Home celebrated its #300 store opening when it opened a flagship store in the heart of A Coruña (Spain).
    • 2012 – Zara Home chose Sao Paulo for its first store in Brazil. That year it also penetrated four new markets: Colombia, Peru, Guatemala and the Dominican Republic. 2012 was also marked by the inauguration of the chain’s e-commerce platform in the US.
    • 2013 – The brand celebrated its tenth anniversary with store openings in 11 new markets: Canada, Honduras, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Kazakhstan, Panama, Thailand, Taiwan, Sweden and Uruguay. And it opened two new flagship stores: one on Paris’s Champs Elysees and one on Barcelona’s Paseo de Gracia.
    • 2014 – Zara Home rolled out its online platform in Mexico and Russia. The chain’s bricks & mortar presence was extended to encompass South Korea, Hungary and Algeria.
    • 2015 – Having docked in Australia (Melbourne in February and Sydney in December), Chile, Austria and Switzerland, Zara Home has extended its physical reach to 62 markets, ending the year with 500 stores worldwide. It also initiated online sales in Australia, thereby spearheading the Inditex Group’s e-commerce strategy for the Southern Hemisphere.###
    Inditex: Zara Home to launch its online platform in Australia

    Inditex: Zara Home to launch its online platform in Australia

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  • Sweden’s H&M opens doors in Sydney

    Sweden’s H&M opens doors in Sydney

    An artist’s impression of the H&M store in Pitt Street Mall’s Glasshouse building.

    The opening of Swedish fast fashion giant H&M Australia’s store this weekend in Sydney’s Pitt Street Mall will boost revenue for city retail landlords, agents says.

    It follows Forever 21, Zara and Uniqlo onto the strip. They were the first major international brands to put the area on the global map.

    CBRE said that with openings or leases secured on more than 30 new stores, the pace of first-time international brand entrants and expansion in Australia continued unabated.

    This compares with more than 35 new openings and lease deals for 2014, CBRE’s third-quarter 2015 Retail MarketView​ shows.

    CBRE’s senior research manager, Danny Lee, said Sydney and Melbourne had had the highest activity in 2015, followed by Brisbane and Perth.

    “Foreign brand penetration in Australia is fairly low in comparison to other countries at 28 per cent, which is a key attraction for these offshore retailers,” Mr Lee said.

    “It would take an additional 50 brands to enter the market to reach the same level as some Asian countries, such as Singapore and Hong Kong, with 90 more required to reach the UK’s level of 57 per cent.”

    CBRE’s head of retail tenant representation Australia, Tim Starling, said the low penetration rate in Australia served to minimise competition between foreign brands.

    “Other key attractions for foreign retailers include the fact that Australia is one of the highest-consuming developed nations, with consumption per capita growing at twice the rate of the US between 2008 and 2014,” Mr Starling said.

    CBRE’s head of retail brokerage leasing Australia, Leif Olson, said the impact on the market would also mean that super prime rents would grow by a forecast 4 per cent per annum over the next three years

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  • Pandora extends alliance with Disney

    Pandora extends alliance with Disney

    Danish jewellery giant Pandora announced it has expanded its strategic alliance with The Walt Disney Company (Disney) to include the Asia Pacific.

    Beginning in November 2015, Pandora will launch its Disney jewellery collection in 13 markets including Australia, China and Japan.

    Pandora chief executive Anders Colding Friis said: “The reception of the Pandora Disney collection in North America has been amazing, and following discussions with Disney, we have together decided to expand the collaboration to include the Asia Pacific.

    “We believe that the collection will fit well with the population in Asia and Australia, and look forward to offer our Disney inspired products to our customers in the region.”

    As part of the alliance, Pandora will be the designated official charm bracelet of Hong Kong Disneyland Resort and the upcoming Shanghai Disney Resort.

    In August 2014 Pandora and Disney entered into a strategic alliance to create an original Pandora collection of Disney-themed jewellery.

    The collection is currently sold in Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort and Pandora stores throughout the US, Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Central America and the Caribbean.

    The news is reported by the company to have no impact on its outlook for 2015, as latest communicated to the market in connection with its Q2 2015 report on August 11.

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  • Sydney hosts Indonesia AirAsia X

    Sydney hosts Indonesia AirAsia X

    Sydney Airport has welcomed low-cost carrier Indonesia AirAsia X for the first time, as the airline launched its five-weekly Sydney-Bali (Denpasar) service.

    “We’re pleased to welcome Indonesia AirAsia X to Sydney, providing more choice for Sydneysiders travelling to Bali, as well as greater connectivity to Indonesian and Asian destinations from the airline’s Bali hub,” Sydney Airport managing director and chief executive officer Kerrie Mather said.

    “We’re thrilled that Sydney Airport is now the world’s leading low-cost long-haul airport, with five international low-cost long-haul carriers.”

    Bali is Australia’s largest outbound leisure market. Around 416,000 Australians travelled from Sydney to Indonesia in the 12 months to July 2015, an increase of eight per cent on the prior corresponding period.

    “More than 555,000 passengers travelled between Sydney and Indonesia in the past year, and this new service will significantly increase capacity to one of Sydney’s favourite travel destinations in time for the summer holidays,” Ms Mather said.

    Indonesia AirAsia X CEO Dendy Kurniawan, who touched down in Sydney on the inaugural flight, operated by an A330-300 aircraft, said that Australia is an important market to Indonesia AirAsia X and the airline is committed to further strengthening its presence in Australia.

    “We are delighted to serve direct flights between Bali and Sydney, providing Sydneysiders the opportunity to explore Bali and beyond at affordable fares. From Bali, our guests can fly onwards to many exotic destinations within Indonesia such as Jakarta, Bandung, Surabaya and Yogykarta,” Mr Kurniawan said.

    Indonesia AirAsia X is the fourth airline servicing the Sydney-Bali route

  • Smash hit Australian kids’ stationary store Smiggle is going global

    Smash hit Australian kids’ stationary store Smiggle is going global

    Billionaire retail veteran Solomon Lew is boosting the global presence of his iconic kids’ stationary store, Smiggle, after announcing plans to open up 50 new stores across Hong Kong and Malaysia over the next five years.

    Managing director of Premier Investments’ Smiggle, John Cheston, has singled out the growing appetite for fashion-based stationary in Hong Kong’s shopping centres which he describes as being a “fertile ground” with “limited competition”.

    “In Hong Kong if you are hot they want you and if you are cold they don’t. We are in demand from the landlords over here. We need to leverage that business with the agents who represent us and get good locations and get good deals. The biggest challenge is getting the space and the rents,” Cheston told the AFR.

    So far, the retail chain store has opened more than 100 stores in Australia with shop fronts in New Zealand, Singapore including another 16 stores to open up before Christmas in UK this year, bringing the total to 200 stores in the UK.

    The decision to go global rides off the success of the stationary empire with last month’s figures reporting a sales jump of 26% to $132.6 million, making it the fastest-growing business within the Premier Investments apparel group.

    The retail is holding optimistic expectations about its first foray into the Hong Kong and Malaysian marketplace after testing the waters in Singapore earlier last year with plans to generate $55 million in revenue.

    “The international business in a very short period of time will be much larger than the Australian business and there are not too many Australian retailers who have been successful offshore,” said Lew.

    “This is going to be world-class operation and there is no reason it shouldn’t work in any country in the world where there is moderate income.”

    The decision for the retail giant to take things global has been on the cards for some time now.

    “The retail environment in Australia remains challenging, however we continue to adapt by rejuvenating our core brands, growing uniquely positioned brands like Peter Alexander and seeking opportunities for further offshore expansion of Smiggle,” said Solomon Lew more than two years ago.

    These comments were followed up by Lew who said that there would be continued investment to support the growth of Smiggle in local and overseas markets earlier this year despite volatile consumer confidence.

  • HK eyewear brand breaks into Europe

    HK eyewear brand breaks into Europe

    Eyewear brand Mujosh has made its first appearance in Europe.

    The Hong Kong-registered label made its debut at the Silmo Paris optical fair this year, presenting its usual distinguished green wood booth concept and showcasing its select boutique products and brand new 2015 designer series containing seven authentic conceptual glasses products, two of which – the Frametone and KAO – have been introduced on Silmo Studio TV.

    Silmo is the first step for Mujosh in Europe, as the company seeks franchise and distribution partners in the European market. After Silmo, Mujosh will also attend in Hong Kong Optical fair this November.

    Established in 2010, Mujosh was created by a group with the belief that eyewear is never just about correcting bad eyesight, but about enhancing stylish looks. After five years of rapid expansion, there are now 500 Mujosh specialty stores, including standard stores and gallery boutiques.

    After the international plan was initiated at the beginning of 2015, Mujosh opened its first overseas stores in Malaysia and Thailand in August, and will open in Australia this coming November. The brand’s objective is to develop itself into a truly international player during the next five years, with at least 1000 specialty stores and mature distribution channels spreading throughout the world.

    Mujosh is owned and operated by Yfeng Group.

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  • Qantas & China Eastern pact to drive Oz arrivals

    Qantas & China Eastern pact to drive Oz arrivals

    A tie-up between Australian carrier Qantas and China Eastern will create one of the world’s largest airline partnerships following the June signing of the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement (ChAFTA) – and open the door more widely to tourist traffic.

    Speaking on Talk to China, the interview series from the China government news agency Xinhua, Qantas Chief Executive Alan Joyce said of the deal: “We can benefit out of tourism, and out of economic activity.”

    The partnership with China Eastern – given a green light last month by the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission – boosts each airline’s access to the other’s markets [for an initial five-year period], strengthening travel links that have already been enhanced in recent years. The approval is also subject to strict capacity conditions and reporting on seats and passengers flown between Australia and Shanghai.

    Australian airport retailers are currently benefiting from the higher number of Chinese travellers at the country’s major gateways. In the year to July, Chinese nationals were Sydney Airport’s fastest growing market, up +17%.

    Joyce told Xinhua that both airlines will increase capacity on the Australia-Shanghai route starting with Brisbane and plan to grow the market by over +20%.

    CHINESE TRAFFIC BOOM

    Chinese tourists have overtaken the British to become the second biggest tourism market in Australia with 864,000 arrivals behind New Zealand’s 1.15m, but they are closing in on the number one spot due to high annual growth rates.

    The Australian government says that tourism “will be a big winner” from ChAFTA. “We forecast about 40% of inbound expenditure growth in the tourism sector to 2022-23 to be sourced from China. Some 1.5m Chinese are expected to visit Australia by that year and they are projected to spend more than A$10.2bn/$7.5bn.”

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  • Tigerair Australia proves it’s ‘true blue’ despite Qantas concerns

    Tigerair Australia proves it’s ‘true blue’ despite Qantas concerns

    A government body has paved the way for Virgin Australia subsidiary Tigerair Australia to begin operating low-cost flights to Bali despite concerns raised by rival Qantas.

    The ruling by the International Air Services Commission, deeming Tigerair an “Australian international airline”, should also make it easier for Tigerair to add more international destinations such as New Zealand and Fiji. Obtaining this designation was a prerequisite for Tigerair to apply for an international airline licence.

    Virgin had applied to the IASC to vary the terms of its allotted capacity to Bali so that a wholly owned subsidiary, Tigerair, could also use it. The positive decision helps clear the way for Tigerair to launch flights from Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth to Bali from March, taking over routes that are currently flown by Virgin.

    To be designated an “Australian international airline”, a carrier needs to be majority-Australian owned. More than 80 per cent of Virgin shares are held by overseas investors including Air New Zealand, Etihad Airways, Singapore Airlines and Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Group. However, in 2012 it split off its international arm and gave it its own board to meet the ownership requirements under the Air Navigation Act.

    Qantas concerns

    In 2013, when Qantas boss Alan Joyce was seeking government aid for his then-ailing carrier, he called the Virgin structure a “sham”. “We all know that Virgin’s international business has no independent existence apart from the foreign-­controlled domestic business: no assets, no management, no people, no funds,” Mr Joyce said at the time.

    In a submission to the IASC last week, Qantas said Virgin needed to prove its subsidiary was an Australian carrier in order for a complete assessment of the application to be made.

    A Virgin spokeswoman said on Friday Tigerair’s international arm was a subsidiary of Virgin’s international arm.

    Tigerair will use Virgin international’s Boeing 737 aircraft and pilots on the Bali route, although the flight attendants will be employed by the low-cost carrier. There are no plans for Tigerair to apply for a separate air operator’s certificate for its international operations, but it is required to obtain an international airline licence, which is a less onerous process.

    The IASC on Friday approved Virgin’s application to transfer some of its Bali capacity allocation to Tigerair, after being advised by the Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development that the budget carrier complied with the ownership and control obligations of the Air Navigation Act.

    The IASC said there would be a public benefit to Tigerair flying to Indonesia, which had outbound traffic of 1.1 million passengers in the year ending July. Other carriers that operate the route include Jetstar, Garuda Indonesia, Virgin, AirAsia Indonesia and Indonesia AirAsia X. Qantas has also announced plans for seasonal flights to Bali from Sydney in December and January.

    “The commission considers that Tigerair’s proposed services between Australia and Indonesia will likely benefit consumers, as Tigerair’s presence on the Indonesia route will likely promote competition on this popular route,” the IASC said.

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  • Apple IPhone 6s, IPhone 6s Plus To Be Available At Retail Stores From Friday

    Apple IPhone 6s, IPhone 6s Plus To Be Available At Retail Stores From Friday

    Apple Inc. said Monday that its latest smartphones, the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus, will be available at the technology giant’s retail stores at 8 a.m. local time on Friday, September 25.

    The company also noted that more than 50 percent of existing devices have upgraded to iOS 9, its newest mobile operating software that was rolled out last week, marking the fastest iOS adoption ever.

    Apple said its retail stores will have the new iPhones available for walk-in customers, who should arrive at a store early. Both models will also be available on Friday from AT&T Inc. ( T ), Sprint Corp. ( S ), T-Mobile US Inc. ( TMUS ), Verizon Wireless, additional carriers and select Apple authorized resellers.

    Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing said, “Customer response to the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus has been incredibly positive, we can’t wait to get our most advanced iPhones ever into customers’ hands starting this Friday. iOS 9 is also off to an amazing start, on pace to be downloaded by more users than any other software release in Apple’s history.”

    In early September, Apple unveiled its iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus smartphones with a faster processor, new 3D Touch capabilities and an improved camera, seeking to woo customers ahead of the holiday season and to assuage investors that its flagship device still has the mojo to sustain growth.

    The phones, which look like their predecessors, are powered by A9 chip, have a new feature called 3D Touch that lets users make commands as well as avail shortcuts and menus by pressing down on the screen.

    Last Monday, Apple said it is on track to beat last year’s record for first weekend sales of iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, when sales breached the 10 million mark within just three days of its sales launch on September 19, 2014.

    The iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus will be available in gold, silver, space gray and the new rose gold metallic finishes for $0 down, with 24 monthly installment payments that start at $27 and $31 respectively, from Apple’s retail stores in the U.S., Apple.com, select carriers and Apple authorized resellers.

    Both the smartphone models will also be available from Friday in Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, Singapore, the UK and the U.S. The iPhone will be available by reservation only in China, Hong Kong, Japan and U.S. stores in tax-free states.

    Starting this Saturday, September 26, customers will be able to visit Apple.com to reserve their iPhone for pick-up at their local Apple Store, based on availability. Apple noted that most Apple stores will also have iPhone available for walk-in customers each day.

    Every customer who buys an iPhone 6s or iPhone 6s Plus at an Apple retail store will be offered free Personal Setup to help them customize their iPhone by setting up email and show them new apps from the App Store.

    Apple-designed accessories, such as leather and silicone cases in different colors and Lightning Docks in color-matched metallic finishes, will also be available.

    While unveiling the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus earlier in September, Apple had said that the devices will come with iOS 9, which would be available as a free software update.

    iOS 9 brings more features to iPhone with a Proactive assistant that is similar to Android’s Google Now service, powerful search and improved Siri features, along with an improved security feature.

    Built-in apps on iOS 9 feature redesigned Notes app, detailed transit information in Maps, and a new News app that displays news from several sources.

    AAPL is trading at $114.33, up $0.88 or 0.78 on a volume of 4.44 million shares.

     

     

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