SAUDI ARABIA. Leading regional retailer and distributor Chalhoub Group recently officially opened ‘The Visitor’ at Jeddah King Abdulaziz International Airport. Launched in partnership with Jeddah Airports (JEDCO), it is the group’s first travel retail flagship in the Kingdom.
As reported, the retail space was soft-launched in November. This official opening held in January marks the transition from a temporary setup to a permanent location.
The grand unveiling was attended by Chalhoub Group Group President Patrick Chalhoub and Jeddah Airports Executive Vice President of Operations Ibraheem Bin Eid Alrefaei.
‘The Visitor’ spans 400sq m and it features over 200 luxury brands across fashion, beauty, fragrances, jewellery, eyewear and electronics categories.
The concept represents Chalhoub Group’s commitment to enhancing the regional travel retail experience while supporting the Kingdom’s goal of attracting 150 million annual visitors by 2032.
Chalhoub Group Managing Director KSA Mohammed Al-Dabbagh commented: “We are expanding our travel retail footprint to Jeddah through ‘The Visitor’, recognising the incredible potential that lies within this dynamic market.
“’The Visitor’ is a transformative experience imagined and created to offer millions of travellers at King Abdulaziz International Airport a truly exceptional offering and a seamlessly integrated experience.
“We have over 200 brands now and our commitment is to extend our offering and introduce more brands from different categories – including and not limited to beauty, fashion, eyewear, jewellery and watches, confectionery and toys.
“The selection will be meticulously curated with a contemporary taste, resonating with the vibrant local culture.
“Through our strategic collaboration with Jeddah Airports authorities, we aim to create a distinctive and innovative space that sets new standards in the luxury travel retail landscape, making a lasting impact locally and beyond.”
Jeddah Airports (JEDCO) Vice President Commercial Paul Neeson said, “On behalf of the entire team at Jeddah Airports, I would like to congratulate Chalhoub Group on the grand opening of The Visitor at King Abdulaziz International Airport.
“This has been an incredible partnership with a shared ambition to transform the retail experience for all our domestic travellers.
“Our sincere thanks to everyone who played a part in continuing to delight our passengers, and our very best wishes for the many years ahead.”
Chalhoub Group said it plans to adapt ‘The Visitor’ offer to the evolving travel retail landscape by incorporating cutting-edge technologies such as mobile point-of-sale systems.
Services such as Shop & Collect and Shop & Deliver are also set to debut, providing flexibility to customers in accessing their purchases either at the airport or another preferred location.
The upcoming Experience Zone, set to open in the second quarter, aims to provide passengers with a premium lounge-like atmosphere, further enhancing the overall shopping experience.
Additional developments are also underway, including the opening of an Arrivals Zone offer, which Chalhoub Group said would underline its commitment to enhancing the entire passenger journey through the airport.
The Visitor brand lineup
Three-axis beauty – Carolina Herrera, Dior, Givenchy, Gucci, Guerlain, Hermès, Jo Malone, Kilian, L’Occitane, MAC, Tom Ford, YSL
Fragrance – Burberry, Cavalli, Chloe, Chopard, Coach, Dunhill, Elie Saab, Hugo Boss, Prada, Ralph Lauren, Thierry Mugler, Valentino, Versace and more
Make-up and skincare – Makeup Forever, SCN, La Mer, La Prairie, Laura Mercier, Benefit, Clinique and Molton Brown
Confectionery – Ferrero, Mars, Mondelez and Nestlé
Electronics – Dyson
Eyewear – Luxottica
Fashion – Armani Exchange, Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger, Guess, Michael Kors, Karl Lagerfeld, Lacoste, Kids Around and The Giving Movement
Gifting and leather goods – ST Dupont, TUMI, U Boat and Albert M
Jewellery – L’Azurde, Swarovski and Bronzallure ✈
{All images courtesy Chalhoub Group and Patrick Chalhoub on LinkedIn}
