Following a visit to meet Groupe ADP in Paris on 4 March, we continue our series on the evolution of the Extime Paris concept, two years on since its creation. The Extime project was developed to add value to retail, dining and services, initially at ADP airports but with ambitions to expand to other locations.
In this article we focus on the digital eco-system being created under the Extime banner, with the view from Groupe ADP Chief Marketing Officer Caroline Blanchet.
Click here for our initial on-location story, here for our feature on Extime Paris Duty Free and here for our story on the Extime Campus initiative.
FRANCE. Groupe ADP is investing heavily to create a digital eco-system that connects travellers through their journey at Paris airports and across its network, with the Extime concept at its heart.
Chief Customer Officer Mathieu Daubert says, “80% of people prepare their journey via digital channels. We don’t consider passengers now as just anonymous boarding cards, but as people, and we are trying to develop long relationships and client lifetime value.”
The Extime loyalty programme now features 3 million members with which the group can connect. This is supported by the Extime.com marketplace, with those who engage online spending twice as much as non-loyalty members or offline members.
The airport company also manages a clienteling programme for high-spend customers supported by digital – in 2024 in Paris there were around 4,000 transactions of €10,000-plus, including a record single transaction at €400,000.
Groupe ADP Chief Marketing Officer Caroline Blanchet says that a key task for the group lies in building closer relationships with consumers, with loyalty programme Extime Rewards a vital tool.
“The aim is to present the right products at the right moment, for the right usage to the right customer. It is not simple. We have to lean on data and our CRM programme while also creating personal connections and experiences for the end consumer through our staff, another reason why the Extime Campus project is so important.”
There are challenges across the industry in using data effectively, but Blanchet points to the strength of the Extime data hub team that tailors information to build communities.
“For example, we have a beauty community that is very interested in beauty products. We try to stimulate communication through the passions that people have, producing content and offers that are relevant. We work on this a lot.”
The Extime digital marketplace is a work in progress, but the vision for ecommerce is clear.
“We are still in a launch phase with the online marketplace – starting with beauty and liquor plus lounge products, to be followed by fashion and amenities such as luggage storage,” says Blanchet.
“We want to stimulate demand among those who use car parking, for example, to present an offer for dining or shopping or lounge access or meet & greet, and to be more specific to customer needs as part of a package. This cross-sell can become very important for us, from digital to physical and across different verticals of the business.
“This is not simple but it is made easier when you have a brand, Extime, that unites all of these activities.”
On what success looks like, Blanchet points to the clear and consistent growth in retail as a key metric, or the strong repeat business that the VIP Terminal (Salons de Réception) is already generating. Building awareness of Extime via the industry and among the customer base is also important.
“We want to be known in the airport eco-system, known in travel retail, and known among consumers. That’s why we describe Extime as a B2B2C brand. We are only two years into the journey and awareness is building of what an Extime experience means.” ✈
