AUSTRALIA. In big breaking news this morning (31 March), Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport (WSI) has awarded Lagardère AWPL dual ten-year contracts to run the new gateway’s duty-free and travel essentials concessions.
The airport company described Lagardère AWPL’s success as a significant show of confidence in Australia’s new 24-hour international gateway.
WSI is on track to open for domestic and international passenger services by the end of October, following the launch of cargo services by the end of July.
Lagardère AWPL was formed in January 2022 as a joint venture between Australian travel retailer AWPL and global retailer-to-food & beverage powerhouse Lagardère Travel Retail. Lagardère AWPL is the Pacific region’s largest travel retailer.
WSI CEO Simon Hickey said the major commitment from the global powerhouse will deliver a premium retail experience featuring iconic brands and travel-exclusive products, alongside a ‘best of the west’ concept that will showcase Western Sydney’s vibrant culture.
“We’re incredibly proud to welcome a retailer of Lagardère AWPL’s calibre to Western Sydney International Airport,” he said.
“Their commitment is a strong vote of confidence in what we’re building here, a game-changing 24-hour airport that reflects and celebrates the community it serves.
“Most of us love a good browse through duty free, where travellers are often looking for a great deal on some of their favourite premium products, and then there’s the inevitable dash for an essential item that you perhaps forgot to pack for your travels.
“Rest assured, we’ll have a terrific retailer to support those last-minute needs for a stress-free journey.”
With around 3,100sq m of retail space, Lagardère AWPL will operate 11 stores, embracing 1,900sq m for duty free and 1,200sq m for travel essentials and speciality retail, spanning the international and domestic precincts.
Lagardère Travel Retail CEO Frédéric Chevalier described WSI as one of the Asia Pacific region’s most exciting airport projects.
“Lagardère AWPL is thrilled to have been chosen to operate duty free and travel essentials at this stunning new gateway to Australia,” he said.
“We’re grateful to WSI for their trust and for the opportunity to create a unique retail experience for travellers to Western Sydney.”
Lagardère AWPL CEO Costa Kouros said this collaboration is about building a long-term partnership with WSI and the vibrant community it will soon serve.
“Our aim has always been to create magical moments for everyone, every day, and this partnership gives us the chance to deliver that from the very first passenger experience in a beautiful new airport,” he said.
“Our retail offer will be a showcase not only for the biggest international brands, but also for the best of Australia and New South Wales.
“We look forward to playing our part in bringing WSI to life by creating a destination that reflects and celebrates the diverse community that is Western Sydney.”
WSI Chief Customer and Commercial Officer Alison Webster said delivering a retail offer tailored to customer needs while ensuring value for money were the top priorities for WSI as it selected this new retail partner.
“In Lagardère AWPL we have secured a partner that truly understands our vision to provide a world-class retail experience that also reflects the local character of Western Sydney,” she said.
Retail fit outs within the WSI terminal will begin over the coming weeks. ✈
Comment: Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport leadership will be as delighted with this commercial outcome as the successful bidder, Lagardère AWPL, writes Martin Moodie. For selling the commercial opportunities of a new airport in an already ultra-competitive – and pressured – region is no easy task.
The days of issuing an RFP and waiting for enticing offers to flood in are long gone.
Today, extensive road shows and painstaking behind the scenes discussions are mandatory if an airport is to create the quality line-up required to simultaneously generate an acceptable commercial return and – most critically – create an ultimately outstanding experience for the travelling consumer.
Those presentations and discussions take years, not months. WSI General Manager Retail Glyn Williams, for example, whose industry stature has played such a key role in lending credibility to the tendering opportunity, spoke at The Trinity Forum in Hong Kong as far back as 2023.
At that event, Williams promised a “seamless retail experience, designed with the customer at its heart”. Today’s announcement, a notable coup for Lagardère AWPL, is triumphant vindication of that pledge. ✈
TENDER ALERTThe Moodie Davitt Report is the industry’s most popular channel for launching commercial proposals and for publishing the results. If you wish to promote an Expression of Interest, Request for Proposals or full tender process for any sector of airport or other travel-related infrastructure revenues, simply email Martin Moodie at Martin@MoodieDavittReport.com. We have a variety of options that will ensure you reach the widest, most high-quality concessionaire/retailer/operator base in the industry – globally and immediately. The Moodie Davitt Report is the only international business media to cover all airport or other travel-related consumer services, revenue-generating and otherwise. Our reporting includes duty-free and other retail, food & beverage, property, lounges and other hospitality services, art and culture, hotels, car parking, medical facilities, advertising and other related revenue streams. Please send relevant material, including images, to Martin Moodie at Martin@MoodieDavittReport.com for instant, quality global coverage. |
