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Tag: DFS

  • DFS opens Whiskey House at Hong Kong airport

    DFS opens Whiskey House at Hong Kong airport

    Over 250 expressions from 50 international brands will be on offer for passengers travelling through Hong Kong’s airport, including the opportunity to sample more than 40 different whiskies every day.

    The Whiskey House has been created by DFS in partnership with William Grant & Sons, whose whisky brands include Balvenie, Tullamore Dew, Grant’s Glenfiddich and Monkey Shoulder as well as rum brand, Sailor Jerry and Hendrick’s gin.

    For whisky enthusiasts there’ll be blind tasting and tasting sessions every weekend from 4-7pm, as well as the chance to have 10% off every purchase when spirits are bought at departure and then collected at arrivals on the return leg of the trip.

    DFS already has its T Galleria retail stores across Hong Kong in Causeway Bay and Tsim Sha Tsui as well as its DFS store at Hong Kong airport.

    Brooke Supernaw, DFS group’s senior vice president of spirits, wine, tobacco, food and gifts, said, “DFS’ The Whiskey House is inspired by our customers and their love of discovery. At The Whiskey House, the discerning traveler can explore and indulge themselves in a world of whiskies from across the globe, enjoy tailored tastings and embark upon a unique travel experience from the moment they enter the airport.”

    Hong Kong has witnessed a boom in interest in whisky over recent years as more consumers explore different expressions and more brands have become available. MHD, LVMH, Edrington and William Grant remain as some of the biggest whisky distributors in Hong Kong, but a number of smaller, specialist ventures have appeared, such as single malt retailers, Caskells in Tsim Sha Tsui.

    Speaking to dbHK at the time of Caskells’ opening last year, owner John Rhodes said:

    “Although Hong Kong has a growing curiosity towards single malts – there is still a lot that can be done to inform people of the very wide scope of whisky there is not only in Scotch but worldwide.

    “Hong Kong – as with any market – is dominated by some big players with some excellent products but there are also a lot of smaller companies that have similar high quality products, and it is these that we want to bring to the general market.”

    The advent of the consumer-focused Whisky Festival and Malt Masters events in Hong Kong has also helped introduce the diversity of the whisky category to Hong Kong’s spirits lovers.

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  • Jobless Filipino wins car, cash in DSF raffle

    Jobless Filipino wins car, cash in DSF raffle

    Filipino expatriate Joel Gutierrez receives his prize during the awarding ceremony hosted by Dubai Shopping Festival.

    Dubai: When news came that his employer would be terminating his services in February, Joel Gutierrez, an expatriate from the Philippines, was devastated. He was saddened by the fact that he had an unemployed wife and two children, ages 10 and 3, to support back home and an Dh80,000 loan in Dubai to pay.

    But even with the prospect of being jobless after 16 years of working in UAE and having no money coming in, Joel didn’t lose hope that everything will turn for the better.  “Although my budget is really tight, I still bought a ticket for the Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) raffle. In fact, I bought four this month,” he recalled. It seemed like it was the only hope for Joel to get out of his “painful” situation. And he was right.

    Joel, 43, has just been informed that he won a luxury Infiniti car on the first day of DSF, plus a Dh150,000 cash. “I had prayed so hard for this. Actually, I prayed for it every day, when I was out walking on the street, taking the Metro, or anywhere,” Gutierrez said.

    The Filipino expatriate, who works as a salesman at a clothing shop in Dubai, opted to get the cash equivalent of the luxury car, so he is expecting to bring home a total of Dh300,000 cash, or nearly 4 million pesos. For him, the money would be enough to start a new life in the Philippines and pay off his personal loan in Dubai.

    “This will now help me build a new and happy life for me and my family. I will use the money to invest in a grocery store back home.”

    Joel credited his strong belief for the great fortune.  He has been buying DSF raffle tickets for years now and it’s only when he was told he would be terminated from his job when luck came his way.  “I would buy ten tickets in a year and it’s the first time I’ve won,” he said.

    “When they told me I would be laid off, it was really painful. But that didn’t make me lose hope. I wish to thank Dubai and DSF for this unexpected fortune,” he added

    Since its inception in 1996, DSF has been offering life-changing prizes, and the festival’s 22nd edition, which started on 26 December, is no different with daily raffle draws offering shoppers the opportunity to win incredible prizes.

    The Infiniti Mega Raffle offers one lucky shopper the opportunity to drive home an Infiniti QX70 plus Dh150,000 in cash daily upon purchase of a raffle ticket for Dh200. In the daily Nissan Grand Raffle, customers have the chance to win one of eight Nissan models  – Micra, Sunny, Sentra, Tiida Hatchback, X-Trail, Juke, Pathfinder and Patrol. Customers will receive a raffle coupon upon purchase of non-fuel products worth Dh20 at any EPPCO and ENOC petrol stations, as well as Zoom shops in Dubai.

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  • Swarovski nail salons returning to DFS Group stores

    Swarovski nail salons returning to DFS Group stores

    This Christmas Swarovski is offering a nail treatment service to shoppers at DFS Group stores. The jewellery brand is returning to the T Galleria by DFS stores to offer its nail service for free to shoppers who have spent a certain amount.

    The service, which is available on select dates across December, will take place in T Galleria by DFS stores in Canton Road, Hong Kong, City of Dreams and Shoppes at Four Seasons in Macau.  The pop-up nail salons will offer the Swarovski “sparkling nail service” along with a Star Ornament crystal for shoppers.

    Director of Travel Retail Asia Pacific at Swarovski, Karen Tse, said: “Female shoppers at Swarovski have traditionally taken a more subtle approach by opting for our classic crystal jewelry and iconic pieces. However, over the past year, we’ve observed the trend in Travel Retail shifting towards a desire for customization and personal styling.

    “Our customers now want to create their own style so as to express their identity in a bold new way, and seeking a sales assistant’s advice has become an important step in the purchasing process.  We’re thrilled that our partnership with T Galleria by DFS has empowered them to fulfill this aspiration.”

    Swarovski is set to unveil a new fall/winter 2016 collection from brand ambassador Karlie Kloss, which features stars and icicle motifs.

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  • DFS Group, Make-a-Wish and Louis Koo Help Make Superhero Wish Come True

    DFS Group, Make-a-Wish and Louis Koo Help Make Superhero Wish Come True

    DFS Group (DFS), the world’s leading luxury travel retailer, alongside Make-A-Wish (worldwish.org), the world’s largest wish-granting organization, and actor Louis Koo, came together at T Galleria by DFS, Canton Road today to help Yuet-Lun, a 4-year-old boy from Hong Kong with congenital nephrotic syndrome, fulfill his wish of being a superhero. The event, which kicked off DFS’ #GiveJoy campaign in Hong Kong, saw Yuet-Lun transformed into his favorite superhero, fighting crime in T Galleria by DFS with the help of his father and Louis Koo dressed as superheros.

    “DFS is committed to supporting the communities where we live and work, and the holiday season is a particularly important time to give back to those in need,” said Jay Frame, DFS Group’s Vice President Corporate Communications and CSR. “We are thrilled to partner with Make-A-Wish to make Yuet-Lun’s wish come true in Hong Kong and to help grant the wishes of nine other children around the world.”

    Yuet-Lun, dressed as a superhero, arrived with his father at T Galleria by DFS, Canton Road and was greeted by Louis Koo and given a special mission and map to find treasure inside the store to save Hong Kong. As he began his mission, actors posing as thieves jumped out and stole his mission map, requiring Yuet-Lun to fight off the thieves throughout the store in order to complete his mission. After defeating the thieves, Yuet-Lun found the treasure on the third floor of T Galleria by DFS and successfully saved Hong Kong.

    The mission of Make-A-Wish is to grant the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy. Since its inception in 1980, Make-A-Wish has collectively granted the wishes of more than 380,000 children in nearly 50 countries. Each wish that comes true inspires these seriously ill children to persevere against their illnesses.

    “We are proud to renew our partnership with DFS and its ambassadors this holiday season to help grant even more wishes to deserving children facing critical illnesses,” said Make-A-Wish International President and CEO, Jon Stettner. “We are particularly grateful to DFS and Louis Koo for helping to make Yuet-Lun’s wish come true in Hong Kong. It’s through the support of partners like DFS and its customers around the globe that make these life-changing wishes possible.”

    This is the third year DFS has partnered with Make-A-Wish International and in 2016, DFS will help grant 10 wishes to children like Yuet-Lun in the communities where DFS operates. Donation boxes will also be placed in T Galleria by DFS stores in Hong Kong and Macau for shoppers to make a contribution to Make-A-Wish:

    • T Galleria Beauty by DFS, Hong Kong, Causeway Bay
    • T Galleria by DFS, Hong Kong, Canton Road
    • T Galleria by DFS, Hong Kong, Tsim Sha Tsui East
    • T Galleria by DFS, Macau, City of Dreams
    • T Galleria by DFS, Macau, Shoppes at Four Seasons
    • T Galleria by DFS, Macau, Macau Studio City
    • T Galleria Beauty by DFS, Macau, Galaxy Macau Store

    DFS customers can help grant wishes by following @DFSOfficial and liking posts about Make-A-Wish from @DFSOfficial and other influencers throughout December. For every post that receives 1,000 “likes,” DFS will donate to Make-A-Wish International to help grant up to ten wishes to children around the globe.

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  • These could be the world’s fanciest duty-free stores

    These could be the world’s fanciest duty-free stores

    Airport travelers shuffling between security checks and their boarding gate often grab duty-free perfume or a cut-price bottle of spirits before an international flight.

    But that’s far from the reality of some passengers at Singapore’s Changi Airport, who in some cases shell out more than $100,000 dollars for a bottle of their favorite tipple before hopping onto a flight.

    High-end duty-free retailer DFS opened its new concept stores – complete with whiskey, wine, cigar and tobacco rooms, bartenders, complementary tastings and even virtual reality installations – in Changi’s Terminals 2 and 3 with precisely these customers in mind.

    “We drew inspiration from stylish restaurants and bars around the world when we created this space,” Wilcy Wong, DFS’s vice president of store operations in Singapore.

    He said there would be no hard sell when it came to the pricey products.

    “These days a lot of the customers are very knowledgeable themselves, so to be able to engage them and teach them something new is important,” Wong said.

    Not that the hard sell would be necessary; as well as knowledgeable, many customers are big spenders.

    DFS Wine & Spirits store at Singapore's Changi Airport
    DFS Wine & Spirits store at Singapore’s Changi Airport

    DFS staff recounted that one traveler recently bought a bottle of Glenfiddich 50-year-old single malt whisky priced at 43,910 Singapore dollars ($31,611) on a whim after passing the store. And that paled in comparison to the most expensive bottle ever sold at Changi, for S$250,000 ($180,000).

    Hong Kong-based DFS Group, which is majority owned by LVMH, has outlets at 17 major international airports, mostly in Asia, but has also staked flags in New York and San Francisco.

    The global travel retail market is estimated to grow to $85 billion by 2020, according to the Fung Business Intelligence Center, and Asia-Pacific is the largest single sector of the market, accounting for 39 percent, followed by Europe at 32 percent.

    This forecast growth is in contrast to the fall in retail mall traffic, particularly in the U.S., which has slumped as consumer spending lags and online shopping grows in popularity.

    Singapore’s Changi Airport, repeatedly ranked the best in the world by the influential Skytrax annual survey, hosts 55 million passengers a year, all of whom are classified as traveling internationally because Singapore is a city-state, and thus are free to buy duty-free items.

    DFS declined to provide any change in sales or foot traffic since opening of the new stores in Changi, but the concept has been praised by the retail and travel industry, winning “Best Shopping Experience” this year by Singapore’s Tourism Board, and Singapore’s Retailers Associations “Best Retail Concept of the Year”.

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  • Hong Kong retail sales plunge for 17th month in a row

    Hong Kong retail sales plunge for 17th month in a row

    HK retail sales 07 16

    Things are not exactly looking up.

    The bad news continues for Hong Kong’s downtown duty free and travel retailers such as DFS as the latest retail sales statistics show another month-on-month decline.

    July government data provisionally indicate that the value of total retail sales in July fell by -7.7% to $34.6bn/$4.46bn, compared with July 2015. This means that for the first seven months of 2016, the value of total retail sales decreased by -10.1% compared with the same period in 2015.

    The trend in department stores was slightly better: in July they fell by -6.9% and by -8.7% in the first seven months of the year.

    The graph above shows the rate of change on a monthly basis for all retail sales in Hong Kong and it suggests that since the second quarter of 2015 there has been continuous downward, negative pressure on sales [the spikes reflect the timings of Chinese New Year].

    HIGH-VALUE ITEMS HAMMERED

    By those product categories most relevant to duty free, the figures showed a very mixed performance in July. Value sales of jewellery, watches and clocks, and ‘valuable gifts’ took a beating, decreasing by -26.2% as did electrical goods and photographic equipment (-21.8%), while footwear, allied products and other clothing accessories held their ground at (-1.1%).

    The tourism trend this year looks worse than in 2015 which is a worry.

    The overall negative trend has been attributed to the depressed tourist traffic coming to Hong Kong, particularly from China. While the July figures are not yet available, in the half-year to June visitor arrivals fell by -7.4% to 27.16m, with mainland Chinese traffic falling by over -10%.

    This follows an inbound decline of -2.9% to 59.3m in 2015, but a spending decline of -7.5% to HK$332.3bn. Of the 59.3m, Mainland China continued to be the largest visitor source market accounting for 77% of total arrivals.

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  • New Zalora CEO appointed

    New Zalora CEO appointed

    Zalora has appointed a new CEO, Parker Gundersen, who joins the online fashion retailer from DFS Group, the travel retail subsidiary of  Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy.

    The new Zalora CEO has more than 15 years of retail and leadership experience in key management positions across Asia, the Middle East and North America.

    parker G

    From 2011 to 2015, Parker served as GM for DFS Singapore, and recently held the position of VP for DFS North America, overseeing the company’s operations and business development function in the region. Prior to DFS, Parker worked in management consulting in the Strategy & Operations practice at Deloitte Consulting.

    Romain Voog, CEO of Global Fashion Group, said Gundersen’s experience in retail across Asia and his strong leadership skills will be instrumental in strengthening Zalora’s leadership in Southeast Asia’s e-fashion space.

    Parker holds degrees in economics and management from the University of St. Thomas and has an MBA from The Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.

  • DFS City of Dreams Macau : Look Inside

    DFS City of Dreams Macau : Look Inside

    An expansion of Macau’s DFS City of Dreams retail area has been launched, offering a lifestyle luxury shopping experience in the heart of the Cotai Strip.

    Three times larger than the former retail space, it was unveiled by gaming and entertainment group Melco Crown Entertainment and luxury travel retailer DFS Group. The area is being run by T Galleria by DFS.

    Styled like an edgy department store, the space uses elements of glass, marble and steel combined with warm wood accents, designed to be both dramatic and intimate. The space links dining areas, casinos, retail stores, entertainment attractions and hotels.

    Melco Crown Entertainment chairman/CEO Lawrence Ho says the group’s flagship property beings many firsts to Macau. “It features the largest collection of luxury brands in Cotai and creates an exciting luxury shopping scene for all aspirational, sophisticated and cosmopolitan leisure seekers in the region.”

    DFS Macau

     

    DFS Group chairman/CEO Philippe Schaus says Macau continues to be an important destination for its customers, “which is why we are thrilled to unveil a retail concept that is a first for DFS in terms of its scale, audacity and innovation”.

    Curated selection

    He says it is a first for Macau in terms of providing a curated and modern product selection across the major luxury categories. “T Galleria by DFS, City of Dreams will combine the breadth of a luxury shopping mall with the personalised service of a high-end department store.”

    Opening in phases from now until December, City of Dreams’ T Galleria by DFS will have the largest collection of luxury brands in Cotai, including beauty products and fragrances, fashion and accessories, and watches and jewellery brands.

    It will also introduce exclusive T Galleria signature customer services, including the first-ever shoe salon as well as a multi-brand lifestyle shopping area dedicated to men’s fashion and grooming.

    DFS Macau. 1

    Offering more than 50 men’s and women’s shoe brands across two floors, highlighted by exclusive-to-Macau brands such as Aquazzura and Rupert Sanderson, the shoe salon will be the largest in Hong Kong and Macau.

    The expanded beauty and fragrance section opens this month. When fully expanded, the 23,000 sqft (2136.7 sqm) space will comprise two wings and feature nearly 70 brands, making it the largest beauty hall in southern China. It will include Korean brands Hera, Laneige and Sulwhasoo.

    A first for men

    Also opening his month are 31 fashion and accessories brand outlets, including Dior, Fendi, Louis Vuitton, Miu Miu and Prada. And for male customers, for the first time at any T Galleria by DFS store there will be a multi-branded, lifestyle area that mixes ready-to-wear, accessories, shoes, watches and grooming all in one space.

    By the end of this year, the phased opening will culminate in a significantly wider jewellery offering, bringing key luxury brands Tiffany & Co. and Van Cleef & Arpels to City of Dreams, as well as new watch boutiques from Audemars Piguet and Vacheron Constantin.

    Dining outlets will also be integrated into the environment.

    DFS Macau. 2

    Developed by Melco Crown Entertainment, City of Dreams is an integrated resort that brings together a collection of brands including Crown, Dragone, Grand Hyatt and Hard Rock, with more than 20 restaurants and bars, the world’s largest water-based extravaganza in the Dancing Water Theater, and accommodation options.

    The mall extension follows a new package of social and economic policies for the city, released under the Macau government’s Five-Year Development Plan. By 2020, the government wants to see non-gaming income account on average for at least 9 per cent of all revenue generated by casinos, compared to an estimated 6.6 per cent in 2014.

  • Lindt collaborates with DFS Group for HKIA store concept

    Lindt collaborates with DFS Group for HKIA store concept

    Following the success of TFWA Asia Pacific Exhibition & Conference in Singapore, Lindt has opened a shop-in-shop concept with DFS Group at DFS, Hong Kong International Airport.

    The store features the latest Lindt pick and mix in Asia, which for the first time will take the form of an eye-catching wall feature. With clear visibility from across the terminal, the stunning new unit will attract footfall into the shop. The pick and mix concept enables travellers to discover a wide assortment of Lindor chocolate truffles and create their own ideal mix. Eminently suitable for gifting, customers will be able to choose from a range of gift cards to complement their selection and personalise their pick and mix bags. The gift cards are themed to highlight the Hong Kong destination and seasonal events.

    The shop will also feature a bespoke space created for the Lindt Master Chocolatiers where live demonstrations will showcase the Lindt tradition of craftsmanship, artistry and innovation in the later part of 2016.

    Commenting on the partnership, DFS Group’s Senior Vice President Food and Gifts, Thierry Canivet, said, ‘DFS continuously strives to create shopping experiences that surprise and delight our customers and we are proud to partner with Lindt to do just that with the new shop-in-shop at DFS, Hong Kong International Airport. This engaging approach to the food and gifts segment will provide travellers with a lasting memory of their travels and we look forward to what we are confident will be a successful new take on this exciting category.’

    Peter Zehnder, head of the Lindt & Sprüngli global duty free division, said that the Asian market clearly presents the travel retail sector with considerable opportunities, and this new venture was the first of a series of innovative initiatives to capitalise on this potential. ‘We are delighted to have launched our latest shop-in-shop concept in Asia and believe that there is a huge opportunity for Lindt in the region. Our well-known brand of premium chocolate offers a wide range of bestseller products, a continual flow of innovations and strong activations beyond ordinary price-offs to drive category sales.’

  • UnionPay Expansion Plan With Duty-Free Shopping Privileges

    UnionPay Expansion Plan With Duty-Free Shopping Privileges

    UnionPay International (UPI), an international payment network, has launched the 2016 Global Airport Campaign, its third edition since the inaugural annual campaign in 2014. This year’s Global Airport Campaign is the largest to date, featuring 120 participating duty-free shops at 80 airports, including 16 of the busiest airports across the world. Duty-free outlets located at the Heathrow Airport in London, United Kingdom, Haneda International Airport in Tokyo, Japan, and Chicago O’Hare International Airport in the United States of America are some of the notable inclusions in this year’s campaign.

    As part of the 2016 Global Airport Campaign, UnionPay Cardholders with card numbers starting with “62” can enjoy exclusive shopping discounts, complimentary gifts and more at airports located in 28 countries and regions in Asia Pacific, the Middle East, Africa, Europe and America. Top duty-free groups in the world, including Dufry, DFS, Lotte Duty Free, World Duty Free Group, The Shilla Duty Free Group, Everrich Duty Free, King Power, Blue Sky and China Duty Free are also on board the campaign to offer special shopping privileges to UnionPay Cardholders at participating outlets across the world.

    “We are delighted to launch our biggest ever Global Airport Campaign this year, with participation by over 120 duty-free shopping outlets globally. Over the years, the Global Airport Campaign has seen tremendous growth in size and in scale. This year, the number of participating outlets has doubled that of 2014, with new duty-free groups such as Blue Sky and Loop Duty Free coming on board for the first time. This is testament to the effectiveness of the campaign in boosting traveler spending, and we hope that shoppers will continue to benefit from this campaign and enjoy wonderful shopping experiences at all their favorite destinations across the world,” said Wenhui Yang, General Manager of UnionPay International Southeast Asia.

    In Singapore, the participating duty-free outlets are DFS and The Shilla Duty-Free. Starting this month, shoppers can enjoy up to 5 percent in discounts and vouchers, and participate in lucky dips to win additional shopping vouchers when they pay with their UnionPay cards at Shilla Duty-Free and DFS stores.

    UnionPay Cardholders in Singapore can also enjoy special discounts and privileges at their favourite Asia Pacific destinations such as Bangkok, Bali, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Seoul, Taipei, Kuala Lumpur and London, just to name a few.
    Other participating cities offering exclusive duty-free shopping privileges for UnionPay cardholders include Barcelona, Cape Town, Osaka, Los Angeles, Madrid, Moscow, New York, Paris, Rome, San Francisco and Toronto.
    For the full list of participating duty-free outlets and details of the privileges.

    UPI focuses on supporting the growth of UnionPay’s global business. With an acceptance footprint covering 157 countries and regions globally, UnionPay serves the world’s largest cardholder base by providing quality, cost-effective and secure payment services to over five billion cardholders worldwide.

    In Singapore, UnionPay enables efficient and cost-effective payment services that are tailored to the needs of local businesses and consumers. UnionPay cards are accepted at over 80 percent of retail, lifestyle and food and beverage establishments locally, as well as at almost all the automated teller machines (ATMs) across the island.

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  • Coach Asia revamps duty free network

    Coach Asia revamps duty free network

    US accessories and lifestyle label Coach Asia is remodelling its duty-free and travel retail stores to tie in with its new “modern luxury” concept, and is planning further expansion in the region.

    The company says the aim is to provide a “warm and inviting” environment in which to showcase the latest products from Coach creative director Stuart Vevers.

    “The performance of the renovated stores has been very strong, and the concept has been extremely well received by the Asian consumer,” Coach International division vice-president of sales Paulo Colino said.

    “We are pleased with the progress we have made updating the stores and expect to have nearly half of our shops in the region remodelled by the summer of next year.”

    Coach has nearly 80 shops spread over 15 countries, including airport and cruise-ship locations.
    Key stores for the renovation include DFS and China Duty Free in Siem Reap, Ginza with Lotte in Tokyo, Kansai Airport with JatCo, Hongqiao Wing 5 with Dufry and Kunming Airport with Lagardere TR, Phuket downtown with King Power, Sentosa Plaza with Valiram in Singapore, and Sunplaza and Chinachem with DFS in Hong Kong.

    “Given the success we have seen in this region, we plan to expand into additional countries in Asia, including India and Myanmar,” says Colino.

    Coach is now a quarter way through the refit program.

  • Cambodia duty-free store opened by DFS

    Cambodia duty-free store opened by DFS

    Luxury travel retailer DFS Group has opened its first T Galleria by DFS store for Cambodia in the resort town of Siem Reap.

    Near the ancient temple of Angkor Wat, T Galleria by DFS, Angkor is the largest Cambodia duty-free luxury department store, offering an integrated retail, hospitality and leisure experience.

    The store is opening in phases until June, bringing 170 brands to the 86,000 sqft (7990 sqm) space, including fashion and accessories, watches and jewellery, wines and spirits, and beauty and fragrances as well as locally handcrafted artisan products.

    Next to Angkor National Museum and overlooking a park, the new outlet features traditional Khmer motifs and carvings by Cambodian artisans. Stone columns feature panels carved in styles reflecting the nearby temples and palaces of Angkor Wat, intricately patterned wall screens and floor tiles evoke local architecture, and a 20m art installation suspended above the store’s vaulted atrium, was inspired by the hues of Buddhist monks’ robes. More than 200 local sales associates will welcome customers.

    Several firsts for Cambodia duty-free come with the opening of the store, such as watches and jewellery brands Bulgari, Carl F Bucherer and Tiffany & Co and international fashion brands Burberry, Bottega Veneta, Fendi, Gucci, Ralph Lauren, Saint Laurent and Zegna. There are also 12 exclusive beauty and fragrance brands such as Bobbi Brown, Cle de Peau Beaute, Mac and Sulwhasoo.

    Among Cambodian artisans featured are Angkor Artwork, whose master craftsmen Eric and Thierry Stocker produce lacquer and straw marquetry using traditional techniques. There is also Golden Silk, one of the last fully integrated silk producers in the world to use the rare yellow silkworm indigenous to Cambodia, and Samatoa, an eco-friendly accessories brand that has revived the technique of lotus-fibre weaving.

    T Galleria by DFS, Angkor has also teamed up with Artisans d’Angkor, a socially conscious business aimed at revitalising Cambodia’s traditional craftsmanship while pioneering a sustainable working environment. Its exclusive collection of handwoven silks and fine crafts were designed by and will benefit local artisans.

    An onsite restaurant, Crystal Jade, will open in June, the first outlet in Cambodia for the Singapore brand. It will serve traditional Chinese cuisine and dim sum dishes in a casual setting overlooking gardens and reflecting pools.

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  • Whisky Magazine picks DFS’ Changi T3 duplex

    Whisky Magazine picks DFS’ Changi T3 duplex

    DFS Group’s Singapore Changi Airport duplex duty free liquor and tobacco store in Terminal 3 was recently voted Travel Retailer of the Year in the 2016 ‘Icons of Whisky Awards by Whisky Magazine.

    As reported many times, the store was opened last May as part of an airport terminal-wide upgrade of the wines and spirits category, where the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore raised the bar by encouraging contract bidders to push the envelope in terms of shop standards and quality.

    DFS’ May 7 2015 response was the long-anticipated opening of its $64m new terminal wide programme of stores over 85,350sq ft, including its 11,400sq ft dual-floor duplex Changi Airport T3 liquor and tobacco store – the largest single space for liquor and tobacco in any DFS store around the world.

    DFS Group’s flagship wines and spirits store at Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 3 is also the LVMH-owned company’s single biggest contract investment in wines and spirit to date. Prior to the opening, Michael Schriver [the then COO of DFS] described the project as ‘DFS most ambitious airport store ever’. At the same time, Ms. Lim Peck Hoon, EVP, Commercial at the Changi Airport Group described the L&T business as the single biggest commercial concession accounting for around 20% of total sales.

    According to DFS, Whisky Magazine receives nominations for its huge number of awards, which are subsequently shortlisted by its editorial panel and then finalized after a voting process online.

    DFS IS THRILLED…

    “We are absolutely thrilled that our DFS, Singapore Changi Airport store has been awarded Travel Retailer of the Year by Whisky Magazine and look forward to continuing to deliver innovative experiences and exceptional products for our customers in 2016,” said Brooke Supernaw, DFS Group’s Senior Vice President Wines, Spirits and Tobacco.

    “At each of our locations, our aim is to provide our customers with a surprising and delightful shopping experience where they can engage with the brands and products they love. We are particularly proud of DFS, Singapore Changi Airport which over the past year has expanded to become Asia Pacific’s largest assortment of single malts.

    DFS-Changi-L&T-tall-shot

    Click on picture above to enlarge:

    “From the duplex’s design to the interactive tastings held on site, our customers have loved this new approach to travel retail and we’re delighted the industry has fallen in love as well.”

    DFS adds that this is the first year the Icons of Whisky Awards have included a Travel Retail category, which was awarded at both the regional and global level.

    SEVERAL RIVALS COMPETED

    The retailer says it beat competitors from Ireland, England, Germany, the UAE and the Netherlands to receive Whisky Magazine’s Travel Retailer of the Year in the Rest of the World regional category award last in January.

    Following this it adds it is now pleased to have gone  head-to-head with rival entries from America and Scotland to secure the global title at the awards ceremony held in London last week.

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  • M&M’s take over DFS’ HKIA shop-in-shop area

    M&M’s take over DFS’ HKIA shop-in-shop area

    M&M’S have taken over a new dedicated 35sq m shop-in-shop concept at Hong Kong International Airport, which Mars International Travel Retail have launched jointly with DFS Group in Terminal 1 – close to Gate N28 on the central concourse.

    “Asia is one of the fastest-growing regions for MITR, so we are extremely pleased to be opening this new M&M’S Travel Retail shop-in-shop at DFS, Hong Kong International Airport,” said MITR Regional Sales Director, Christophe Bouye.

    “By offering passengers outstanding retail experiences that first and foremost will make them smile, we are confident it will increase shopper engagement and encourage conversion. Through placing consumers in a smiling frame of mind, we believe that this will not only benefit the confectionery category, but all sectors of the travel retail offer here in Hong Kong.”

    The interior of the store features an ‘interactive’ retail theatre, with the ‘focus on fun’, says MITR, in line with its ’Smiles’ campaign which is a breath of fresh air in many DF&TR locations today.

    MM's ride the Dragon Boat

    Personalised and tailored specifically to reflect a taste of Hong Kong, the shop combines a sample of local tradition with a replica of a dragon boat, which is both guarded and manned by smiling red, yellow, blue and green M&M characters. This is centrally located in the store, against a sea of wall and floor mounted brightly-lit yellow display fixtures – featuring a full range of M&M’s products.

    The store also carries destination merchandise, such as Hong Kong Travel Collection packs of Snickers, Mars and Twix, plus a Hong Kong-themed M&M’S dragon boat box. Core brands of Snickers, Mars, Celebrations and Twix are also offered in individual packs.

    The partners are also promising a strong social media campaign from DFS. This will utilise the WeChat, Facebook and Instagram platforms to alert interest customers to the existence and location of this new outlet before they arrive at HKIA. They also add that as an incentive, a free gift awaits the first 500 visitors, while all customers will be encouraged to take photos in the store and post them to friends on their mobile phones.

    Thierry Canivet, DFS Group’s Senior Vice President, Food and Gifts said the retailer is ‘thrilled’ with the new shop-in-shop concept: “With the shop-in-shop’s localised format, exclusive product offering and innovative approach to engaging customers, we’re confident travellers will love this addition to DFS, Hong Kong International Airport.”

    MITR’s Christophe Bouye added that the company is very grateful to DFS for the opportunity to create such strong branding for M&M’S. He said it is a good opportunity for both existing and new shoppers to discover a new experience, to interact with the M&M’S characters and exercise impulse purchasing.

  • DFS partners with Jeju Tourism Organisation

    DFS partners with Jeju Tourism Organisation

    Top DFS and JTODFS Group has signed a new supply partnership with the Jeju Tourism Organization (JTO) ‘to raise awareness and attract international tourism to Jeju Island, South Korea, as well as to provide an elevated retail experience for international tourists’.

    This new partnership has been forged after many months of discussions between the two parties, with DFS agreeing to use its global network and marketing reach to encourage tourism to Jeju. In return, it has also reached agreement to supply international luxury merchandise to JTO’s new duty free store, which is due to open in Jungmun in Southern Jeju later this year.

    Kab-Yeol Choi, President of JTO with Philippe Schaus, DFS

    Kab-Yeol Choi, President of JTO and Philippe Schaus, DFS CEO.

    [DFS says The Jeju Duty Free will open in its second phase by May 2016, with all brands and product offerings in place by the fourth quarter-Ed].

    According to DFS: “The store, called The Jeju Duty Free, will be located in one of the largest 5-star beachfront and gaming resorts in Jungmun and will carry global brands, as well as local offerings. There is scope for the partnership to extend to other channels in future.”

    It adds that its ‘long history’ of working with partners in Okinawa, Bali and Hainan ’is well-suited for this shared vision’.

    Kab-Yeol Choi and Philippe Schaus sign the agreement

    Kab-Yeol Choi and Philippe Schaus sign the agreement.

    Adding his comments, Hee-ryong Won, the Governor of Jeju said: “As a provincial government entity of Jeju Special Self-Governing Province, we must elevate Jeju’s value as a tourism destination by bringing high-quality duty free shopping services. We look forward to positively contributing to the development of Korea’s duty free industry.”

    Kab-Yeol Choi, President of JTO added: “We highly respect DFS’ dedication to JTO’s vision in developing Jeju as a preferred destination for tourism. The strategic partnership between JTO and DFS will allow Jungmun to offer the best duty free shopping experience and be of great assistance in attracting more international tourists to Jeju.”

    1 DFS and Jeju

     

    Last, but not least, Philippe Schaus, Chairman and CEO of DFS said the retailer greatly admires JTO’s creativity and foresight in developing Jungmun and the surrounding area as an international tourist destination.

    He added that the company is pleased to be able to contribute to these efforts by providing travellers with a tailored selection of high quality, luxury products.

    As announced by Korean Customs earlier this year Jeju outlets and all other specialist shops (including diplomatic) generated $481.1m in 2015.

    Seongsan-Ilchulbong-Peak

    Seongsan Ilchulbong, or Sunrise Peak on Jeju Island – sometimes referred to as ‘the Hawaii of South Korea’.

    GOOD POTENTIAL FOR CHINESE VISITORS

    As DFS notes, Jeju Island is a self-governed province and Korea’s largest island, located south-west of the Korean Peninsula. A leading tourism destination in North Asia, it has been referred to as ‘the Hawaii of South Korea’, renowned for its dramatic natural beauty and boasting three UNESCO World Heritage Sites, as well as offering a wide range of leisure and cultural pursuits.

    Jungmun, in the south of the island, attracts visitors with its beaches, golf courses, high-end resorts and casinos, and an international convention centre.

    Jeju Island is forecast to attract four million visitors in 2016 and has recorded an average 44% growth in foreign travellers per year since 2010.

    DFS says that to further support the growth of international tourism, the Jeju Provincial Government, through the efforts of JTO, has begun a programme of strategic development in Jungmun to further attract ‘discerning overseas travellers’ seeking a combination of adventure and excitement but who also value luxury and convenience.

    DFS added: “In addition to several new large-scale integrated resorts and casinos, a cruise port is planned for completion in 2017 with an estimated handling capacity of one million passengers annually, enabling large cruise liners to dock near Jungmun and alleviating the limited capacity at the current port in Jeju City.”

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