RWANDA. Lagardère Travel Retail has opened a duty free and travel essentials store at Kigali International Airport, in partnership with Rwandan aviation services provider Flairway.
The 435sq m airside departures store offers wines & spirits, perfumes & cosmetics, confectionery, eyewear, luggage plus watches & jewellery. The outlet also houses a Relay travel essentials shop-in-shop featuring portable electronics and travel goods, drinks and snacks.
A broad selection of local goods celebrates Rwanda’s rich craftsmanship and natural produce such as coffee, tea and avocado oil. Highlights include Kari Vodka, an award-winning potato vodka by Virunga Mountain Spirits, organic Rwandan honey and artisan beeswax candles made with local essential oils.
The collection further includes Golden Ale and IPA from Kweza, Rwanda’s first women-owned craft brewery and a traditional banana wine crafted from locally harvested bananas. Completing the range is IMIZI Forest Rum, infused with rare forest botanicals.
Lagardère Travel Retail West, Central & East Africa CEO Sountou Bousso commented: “We are proud to have opened this new store and to make our debut in Kigali International Airport, the gateway to one of Africa’s fastest-growing tourist destinations. We are excited about the potential for travel retail in Rwanda and grateful for the trust placed in us by Rwanda Airports Company.
“Together with our partner Flairway, we are determined to give travellers at Kigali every reason to shop with us every time they visit the airport.”
Rwanda Airports Company Managing Director Charles Habonimana said: “The arrival of Lagardère Travel Retail at Kigali International Airport marks another important milestone in our journey to enhance the passenger experience. This partnership expands the portfolio of duty-free services available at the airport, giving travellers access to a wider variety of high-quality international and local products. It also ensures that every passenger can leave Rwanda carrying a touch of our country’s creativity and hospitality with them.”
Lagardère Travel Retail now operates over 30 stores in eight countries across Africa. ✈
