JAPAN. Lagardère Travel Retail has made its debut at Kansai International Airport in partnership with The Asahi Airport Service, with the joint opening of a Saint Laurent boutique in Terminal 1. The luxury store, located in the international airside area, opened on 15 December. The partnership was announced earlier this month by Lagardère Travel Retail CEO North Asia Eudes Fabre.
The Asahi Airport Service Director Etsuji Tanaka said: “We are thrilled to be partnering with Lagardère, a global leader in the travel industry. Since the opening of Kansai International Airport, The Asahi Airport Service has operated a variety of duty free shops, serving the diverse needs of customers. And as the first joint business with Lagardère, we are opening up a Saint Laurent boutique, a globally recognised high-end fashion brand, at the airport. While we are still in the midst of uncertainty amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, we sincerely look forward to welcoming customers with a big, friendly smile.”
“We are extremely pleased to start our partnership with The Asahi Airport Service Co with the opening of this exciting Saint Laurent boutique in Kansai Airport,” said Lagardère Travel Retail Japan Vice President Operations Nicolas Savary.
“We are very confident in the potential of Kansai Airport to recover and to become again one of the most dynamic and vibrant airports in Asia. Having a Saint Laurent boutique will definitely contribute to the attractiveness of the destination. Our team is ready to serve and delight customers and to make them discover the latest collections.”
Kansai Airports Executive Officer and Deputy Chief Commercial Officer (Non-Aeronautical) Stephane Geffroy said: “Although the recent months have been extremely difficult, Kansai Airports remains committed to working with our partners to prepare for a brighter future. The opening of a Saint Laurent boutique by Asahi Airport Service Co. and Lagardère Travel Retail is a great testimony to the mutual trust we have in the recovery of international traffic at Kansai Airport. We are looking forward to the future success of the Saint Laurent boutique.”
As reported, there is keen interest among Japanese and international travel retailers in the commercial opportunities that a major expansion of T1 will bring once it is completed in 2025/26. This will include a reconfiguration of the airside zone and a walk-through duty free store.
