Welcome to the latest instalment of a thought leadership column in partnership with Nestlé International Travel Retail that aims to raise the profile of food and highlight its potential as a key growth driver in the travel retail mix. In this issue we home in on a groundbreaking concept from Qatar Duty Free that elevates the Sense of Place concept at Hamad International Airport – and that leans heavily on food.
On 12 December Qatar Duty Free (QDF) opened Souq Al Matar – dubbed a “groundbreaking twist on traditional Qatari heritage and hospitality”.
Souq Al Matar – matar being the Arabic word for airport – is a traditional Qatari Souq located in HIA’s North Node terminal, featuring seven shops and two restaurants.
Within the retail offer, alongside perfumery and fashion food plays a central role through stores that offer local sweets and delicacies – complementing the wider international confectionery offer elsewhere in the core category stores.
The enhanced localisation of the shopping offer chimes strongly with Nestlé International Travel Retail’s (NITR) mission to make food the #1 most purchased category in travel retail, a drive promoted in this series of ‘Food Reimagined’ columns.
NITR’s VERSE (Value, Engagement, Regeneration, Sense of Place and Execution) growth model sits at the heart of its thinking about doubling the category in the decade ahead. Within this, a key principle that the brand owner is prompting is to ‘lead with local’.
Qatar Duty Free’s Souq Al Matar does that in a thrillingly effective and evocative way. The hugely ambitious concept was developed in collaboration with Ibrahim M. Jaidah, an acclaimed architect renowned for delivering world-class projects in Qatar such as the Al Thumama Stadium.
Its key design features include wicker woven ceilings, arched doorways, wooden-framed windows, and numerous other decorative details to bring to life the local market aesthetic and vibe. The space showcases a dhow boat riding on digitally created waters, evoking Qatar’s maritime trade traditions and traditionally linked with the markets.
Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Officer Engr. Badr Mohammed Al-Meer said: “Our goal has always been to ensure that the travel experience at Hamad International Airport remains one of the best in the world.
“Souq Al Matar brings a whole new dimension to passengers, where they can shop, dine, and experience a taste of Qatar without having to leave the airport.
“We have once again raised the bar of what the airport experience can aspire to be, making it a part of the cultural experience itself, not just a transit hub.”
Qatar Duty Free Senior Vice President Thabet Musleh added: “Souq Al Matar underlines that at Qatar Duty Free we not only have something for everyone, we have something unique.
“This is a first-of-its-kind experience in an airport – a truly original concept that goes beyond ‘Sense of Place’ to deliver ‘transit tourism’, bringing Qatar directly to travellers. The execution emphasises our exceptional attention to detail and service, further cementing Qatar Duty Free as a true leader in airport retail and catering.”
The line-up of the shops and dining options at Souq Al Matar reflects the goods and refreshments traditionally found in the alleyways of Qatar’s old markets.
Alongside two locally-inspired restaurants, the retail range leads on perfumery (Khaneen), travel gifts (Sogha), Al Darzi and Al Beshi (both fashion), plus the following food-led concepts.
Al Attar: This store offers a unique apothecary store experience, where customers can explore an assortment of premium honey, dates, coffees, teas, herbs and spices, ideal those looking to take a piece of Qatari culture back home.
Fwala: A Khaleeji word used for dessert assortment served to house guests. This store offers a tantalising assortment of traditional Qatari sweets, including packaged desserts traditionally enjoyed during special occasions and festive seasons such as Eid. All the brands featured at Fwala are based in Qatar, and the products locally made.
Dukkan: Here the traveller discovers a selection of affordable confectionery and snacks, including the renowned Pafki chips and other local delicacies designed to stir nostalgia in older generations of Qatari shoppers.
Dukkan also features a selection of sweets, toys and drinks regularly found in the local supermarkets of Qatar’s residential areas. ✈
*This article first appeared in The Moodie Davitt eZine. Click here for access.
