TRAVEL ESSENTIALS
“Other product categories will have lost sales to online, but not those which are bought on impulse. Travel essentials will, therefore, be given more space.”
develop exciting new products that we will be launching over the coming 12-18 months.” Travel Essentials has been one
of the hardest hit segments due to its heavy reliance on passenger numbers. Without the sheer volume of people travelling through terminals and with many retailers closed, it has been hard for suppliers to move stock through the system. Worden comments: “Most travel
essentials have been specifically tailored to improve the journey and many are purchased on impulse while browsing the stores. “With limited passengers making
those journeys and such a significant shift in consumer behaviour patterns for those actually travelling, the opportunities to engage and excite travel consumers diminished, decimating the market.” The trend for hygiene products
will remain even after ‘a satisfactory global result from vaccines’, according to Jonathan Smith, Executive and Travel Retail Director, Travel Blue Group. He says: “Passengers are still going
to be careful and want to use hygiene products for a long time to come. Hundreds of airport shops across the world are stocking Travel Blue hygiene products.” Travel essentials are an impulse
purchase and will remain so in in the post-Covid-19 era. “The perception of buyers
will remain the same,” observes Smith. “This is a very important category and I believe it will become more important. “Other product categories will
have lost sales to online, but not those which are bought on impulse. Travel essentials will, therefore, be given more space.” Digitalisation and dependence
on data and power connectivity, combined with health and safety
DECEMBER 2020
might be a permanent trend, according to Sam Gerber, Managing Partner, Skross. “We have learned a lot about
social distancing, personal hygiene, how to avoid catching viruses and other things that we haven’t had on our minds before,” he explains. “Maybe the future will be less
about ‘touch and feel’ consumption and more about digital content, 3D-viewing and picking-up orders.” However, Gerber is a little sceptical
and believes humans are forgetful and seek easy and simple routines. He continues: “From this point of view, I would not be surprised if we don’t really spot a difference from the pre-Covid-19 travel retail environment in two years’ time.”
Adjusting to segment needs Travel accessories company Cabeau says the ‘world will rejoice’ when social distancing ends but admits some vestiges of the pandemic will persist through behavioural habits developed during the peak of infections. “Proper hygiene sanitation will
remain at the forefront with less impulse touching of goods or sampling from shared products,” Lital Guedalia, Sales Director, Travel Retail Global, Cabeau tells TRBusiness. “QR codes will continue to
proliferate as customers eschew sales associate interaction and pursue more self-driven, self- explanatory means to ascertain product suitability and choice. “An obsession with cleanliness
will parallel the continued emphasis on climate change, encouraging more nature-friendly, back-to-earth products and sustainable packaging which minimises the impact on the planet.” Brands with the fortitude to survive the pandemic will pave the
Jonathan Smith, Executive and Travel Retail Director, Travel Blue Group
way for the re-emergence of the travel essentials category. Guedalia says: “These leaders will gain market share and retail space from the detritus of lesser brands. Most importantly, the best of these brands will step up to partner with retailers for shared sacrifice and adjust to the new needs of the segment.” But retailers may have higher
inventory levels of old stock that must be sold through to refresh with new fashion trends, packaging updates and feature improvements. “Having survived protracted
cashflow issues during the pandemic, there will be little appetite for risk in carrying unproven brands or products,” comments Guedalia. “Retailers will likely pare down
selections and favour products with greater applicability beyond a narrowly defined travel niche.” With travel requiring more
preparation than previously, the travel essentials category will be critical to the success of any trip. Go Travel’s Worden adds: “Travel accessories are now further up the priority list for most travellers alongside the traditional necessities such as sun cream and other key items. If anything, post-pandemic, it should dramatically increase the importance of this category for travel retailers.” «
Above left: The reliance on data and power connectivity combined with health and safety considerations might be a permanent trend post Covid-19, according to Skross.
The Travel Blue range of hygiene products launched earlier this year.
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