INDIA. Avolta is celebrating a successful start-up of its two duty free stores and 14 food & beverage outlets at Kempegowda International Airport Bengaluru’s (KIAB) new Terminal 2, which were inaugurated at the end of 2023.
The duty free stores are run in a joint venture with Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL).
Avolta (formerly Dufry) has a long-standing relationship with KIAB, having operated the T1 duty free shops since 2008.
The company won an additional 15-year contract in Q4 of 2022 to manage the T2 stores in a 50:50 joint venture with airport operator BIAL.
The 1,740sq m departures store delivers what Avolta called a luxurious and welcoming space inspired by the Lalbagh Botanical Gardens.
The walk-through format takes customers on a sensory journey through a vast glass pavilion, synonymous with the architectural style of Bangalore.
The arrivals store, which offers 1,896sq m of retail space, delivers a more urban shop environment, infused with garden motifs, and inspired by the high-rise urban centre of Bangalore.
The retail spaces were designed by London-based The Design Solution.
The core product categories including perfumes & cosmetics, liquor, confectionery and luxury accessories are all represented in both stores, which feature a wide range of globally renowned brands.
Themed areas such as the Indian Market Place (pictured below) deliver a strong Sense of Place and showcase many local products. Passengers also encounter different zones and tasting areas, such as the Discovery Bar in the Whisky House, which features the latest interactive Whisky Finder technology.
The 14 new restaurants and F&B areas introduced are complementary to BIAL’s ‘terminal in a garden’ vision in terms of design, menu execution and storytelling.
Brands that customers can expect to see – many of which are being introduced into India for the very first time – include classic burger restaurant Johnny Rockets, Wolfgang Puck, family restaurant Giraffe, Carluccio’s, French favourite Madelaine’s and popular Asian restaurant PF Chang’s.
The introduction of these 14 outlets boosts the Avolta F&B footprint to a total of more than 30 operations at KIAB.
Avolta President & CEO Asia Pacific Freda Cheung said: “We were delighted to have been able to join with our colleagues from KIAB and BIAL to officially open our new retail stores and F&B outlets in this incredible new terminal.
“Bengaluru’s Terminal 2 takes the travel experience to a new level, and we have reflected this with our new concepts, which offer the best experience to passengers in terms of product range, dining options, customer service, and interactive experiences.
“As the leading global travel experience player, we have used our extensive knowledge and expertise to deliver the best possible shopping and dining experience to the 31 million plus passengers (base 2022-23) who visit the airport each year, and the positive feedback from customers on the new stores and F&B outlets has already exceeded our expectations.” ✈
Footnote: The Asia Pacific Travel Retail Association (APTRA) will host the APTRA India 2024 conference in Delhi on 20-21 March. The conference programme will focus on travel retail’s growing importance within India’s surging aviation and airport infrastructure growth and the burgeoning significance of the Indian travelling consumer to the industry. The Moodie Davitt Report Chairman Martin Moodie will be attending the event.
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