NEWS ROUND-UP Lotte opens new enlarged World Tower store


Lotte Duty Free announced in June that it would be opening a large new duty free shop expansion within its 123-storey Lotte World Tower tourist landmark, effectively linking its existing department store to create a much bigger area. South Korea’s biggest duty free operator


said that this will see the number of brands offered within the duty free offer rise by 100 – from 320 to 420 – in what it now describes as the largest city-based duty free shop in South Korea/Seoul, the second-biggest in Asia and the third biggest in the world. Commenting on the opening, Jang Seon-


wook, President of Lotte Duty Free Shop said: “We are expecting the World Tower grand opening will be a breakthrough, as the difficulties of the entire tax-exempt industry are increasing as the THAAD problem is not solved.” [Having said that, Lotte Duty Free issued a


later statement advising that there would be no grand opening, with a low-key approach preferred considering the ongoing sensitivity of THAAD-Ed].


The Lotte Duty Free CEO (third from left above) added that the company will make an effort to develop products and attract more foreigners visiting Korea by actively attracting more foreign brands. ” The retailer said that while it is establishing


a new specialty cosmetics store at the location, it is also opening a special new ‘Korean traditional culture hall’, plus a special product hall. This is designed to promote traditional


Korean culture and will sell products made by ‘craftsmen of cultural heritage’, including ceramics, organic and gold-leaf products.


Lotte claims its flagship downtown duty


free outlet is the largest city-based duty free shop in South Korea/Seoul. Lotte retailer says that the overall


new offering has also strengthened Lotte’s domestic brand offerings alongside its relationships with SMEs. It adds that this will be reinforced


with pop-up shops featuring local products as part of its ‘cultivation of small and medium-sized brands’. The retailer


also hopes to


promote synergies by attracting foreign tourists to the Lotte World Tower complex through the access connections at Avenue El Dong and Tower Avenue. Besides the shops, these also connect with


the Lotte World Tower 6-star hotel and the high-rise observatory. Lotte says it also aims to contribute


to the domestic tourism industry by developing various products combining both shopping and sightseeing.


Flemingo’s Baltona captures 7-year Tallinn concession


Estonia’s Lennart Meri Tallinn Airport has awarded Baltona Duty Free its first exclusive duty free concession in the Baltic states. Flemingo International-owned Baltona


will run a walkthrough shop (800sq m) and two last-minute outlets for transfer and non-Schenghen passengers (totalling 180sq m), as the airport operator commences a ‘radical transformation’ of its retail space that combines a new design and emphasis on local product assortments. The seven-year contract will begin in the


first quarter of 2018. Tallinn Airport Chief Commercial Officer


Eero Pärgmäe, said: “We are delighted to welcome Baltona to Tallinn Airport as the exclusive duty free operator in our newly developed airside space. “Baltona has demonstrated not only a


clear alignment to our vision for the airport but also a clear understanding of the needs


of the retail customer. “We are confident that, together, we can


drive a new level of commercial performance for both companies and create engaging, exciting and satisfying retail experiences for the customer at Tallinn Airport.” Flemingo says the main duty free


store incorporates a ‘strong core offer’ spanning perfumes & cosmetics, tobacco, confectionery and liquor, in addition to fashion, accessories and jewellery. An immersive ‘tasting zone’ also features


in the main store, alongside a range of local specialities, including fine foods, souvenirs and traditional Estonian products. London-based travel retail specialist The


Design Solution has combined traditional elements of Estonian culture such as local timbers – reflecting the country’s dense forest areas – with cutting-edge technology. “ We wanted the space to feel absolutely


integrated into the fabric of the airport, giving passengers a seamless experience borne out of a strong sense of place,” commented Nick Taylor, Director, The Design Solution. Tallinn handled over 2.2m passengers


in 2016. The airport is undertaking a two-phase infrastructure development programme costing approximately €130m resulting in an expanded airside, improved terminal spaces, and a runway extension, as it forecasts traffic to reach 2.8m by 2022.


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