LEADING AMERICAS OPERATORS: MOTTA INTERNACIONAL


Airport. At Alfonso Bonilla Aragón Airport in Cali, where the retailer opened in late 2017, sales have been as expected. “The only airport which is really


significant after Cali is Medellín. The rest are too small to have operations as there are no real international passengers.” Elsewhere, operations at Mariscal


Sucre International Airport in Quito, Ecuador, have been better than forecast with most departures and arrivals shops ‘making the numbers.’ Regarding performance at


Monseñor Óscar Arnulfo Romero International Airport in El Salvador, Orillac comments: “In El Salvador, we were closed for some months because of changes in the airport, but were fully operational by September. We are on budget and content.”


Pain point in Nicaragua The ongoing political crisis in Nicaragua, which started on 18 April 2018 when pro-government groups violently crushed a small demonstration against reforms to Nicaragua’s pension system, has seriously hindered sales at Managua Augusto C. Sandino International Airport. “Nicaragua was around 45-50%


down due to the political situation,” explains Orillac. At Trinidad and Tobago’s Piarco


International Airport, where Motta secured a five-year concession to operate three duty free stores in 2017, Orillac was relatively satisfied. The same can be said for its airport and border duty free operations in general. “In short, we were satisfied with


our airport and border operations, but performance could have been better,” he says. On the renovation and expansion


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Motta has six doors for traditional duty free products at Tocumen Airport’s Terminal 1.


El Salvador. “We are working on expansion


projects downtown in the duty paid market and aiming to have 75 iShops by the middle of the year.” Looking ahead to 2019, currency


fluctuations will once again be the main challenge. “The other element which remains


a challenge is payroll, concession fees and general cost of operating in airports,” he says. “Efficiency is key and trying to


operate stores with as few people as possible.” “We constantly train our


sales staff on selling techniques, product knowledge and ensuring customer satisfaction. “We take this very seriously and


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are looking to improve our e-learning in certain areas and offer more open courses.” Digital engagement is also a


front, Motta’s main focus appears to be Tocumen Airport Terminal 2 and pressing forward with the project when the operator is finally able to enter the terminal. But this, however, is not stopping it from perusing duty paid opportunities downtown. In 2010, the company opened its


first iShop Apple Premium Reseller store in Colombia. It now operates around 60 shops in Colombia, Peru, Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua and


MARCH 2019


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priority and the company has a team working on this full-time. “We are engaged in ‘Big Data’


analysis in order to boost supply chain management,” Orillac reveals. In terms of capitalising on new


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consumer trends, Motta is looking to ‘try new things in-store’, which it feels are attractive and to move away from traditional brands. The retailer has begun working


with some cosmetic companies, which are trending in this area, and introduced dedicated sections to these labels in some of its new shops. “We are also seeing a trend skincare purchases


towards


Operations at Mariscal Sucre International Airport in Quito, Ecuador were better than forecast in 2018.


TRBUSINESS 37


are our top-spending passengers. Then come Colombian consumers... followed by Ecuadorians. These are the key customers.” «


to 2018 and is in no doubt who Motta Internacional’s primary customers are. “When Brazilians are buying, they


“In El Salvador, we were closed for some months because of changes in the airport, but were fully operational by September. We are on budget and content.”


Erasmo Orillac, Motta Internacional


among men in Europe so will try to capitalise. In addition, we are making more smartwatches available to consumers.” Cigarette sales may be decreasing


due to display restrictions on tobacco products, but wine and rum sales appear to be growing. “We are not talking big changes,” says Orillac. “Perhaps +1% or +2% in rum sales


and +3% in wine.” Orillac expects 2019 to be similar


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