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Montevideo Port ferry terminal will be easier for passengers to use after the revamp, promises Walter Zeinal Jr |
URUGUAY. River Plate ferry operator Buquebus and onboard duty free concessionaire Bernabel Trading are jointly expanding the Arrivals area of the Montevideo Port ferry terminal.
“Buquebus is making the area much more agreeable for the passengers, easier for them to pick up their baggage and process, and improving passenger flows,” Bernabel Trading Director Walter Zeinal Jr told The Moodie Report.
The works, which include new seating and lighting, will conclude ahead of the southern hemisphere spring.
The partners are simultaneously upgrading the passenger bridges at Colonia’s terminal, aiming to make the arrival journey easier and smoother for passengers coming from Buenos Aires.
The investment comes despite indications that Uruguay’s government will retender the licence to operate the terminal in early 2015.
Argentinean media reports suggest that Uruguay will seek bids for a new contract to begin in November 2015.
Retail holds firm
Duty free sales on the River Plate ferries have been helped by the launch last October of the ferry Francisco, with its massive 1,200sq m duty free store (as reported).
“This large square meterage has enabled us to carry products from a range of brands that we hadn’t been able to stock before,” Zeinal said.
“We’re also very happy with the first and business class areas on the Francisco, where there’s excellent comfort in all the onboard services. With the catering and service, passengers can do the whole voyage in a more luxurious environment,” observed Zeinal.
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Francisco affords a level of luxury unprecedented on the River Plate route |
“It has been a good start. There’s still a strong demand from Argentina, with a good acceptance of duty free as a concept.
“In the first quarter there was a dip in general retail activity in the Southern Cone, but luckily in numbers this hasn’t affected us. We’ve grown slightly and been able to avoid the trend of a drop in retail.”
Problems with accessing products inside Argentina, where import restrictions mean some international brands are no longer available, are encouraging more duty free shopping, Zeinal said.
“Argentineans are very keen consumers, and they’re not afraid to spend. Meantime, the Uruguayan client has become more sophisticated and is looking beyond the traditional choices of tobacco and liquor.”
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Bernabel Trading’s duty free store areas in the Montevideo Port Terminal |
