SOUTH KOREA. Lotte Duty Free has opened a temporary liquor & tobacco store at Gimpo International Airport after securing a seven-year contract for the airside departures space at the Seoul gateway.
As reported, Lotte Duty Free has replaced former incumbent and arch rival The Shilla Duty Free.
The travel retailer also operates an existing perfumes & cosmetics store at the airport after it won a ten-year contract in 2021.
Lotte Duty Free’s liquor & tobacco offer includes a variety of global whisky brands such as Johnnie Walker, Ballantine’s, Royal Salute, Kavalan, The Balvenie, Suntory and more.
Tobacco products from KT&G, Philip Morris, British American Tobacco and Japan Tobacco International are also available.
A permanent 1,467sq m liquor & tobacco store is being constructed and is scheduled for completion in Q4.
Lotte Duty Free CEO Kim Ju Nam said: “Lotte Duty Free plans differentiated promotions to continuously enhance the benefits experienced by Gimpo Airport shop users. As international routes are scheduled to diversify in the future, including increased flights to China, we will provide an extended range of products to improve the customer shopping experience.”
The opening takes place as Gimpo Airport continues to see strong travel recovery. Citing data from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Lotte Duty Free noted the airport’s +74% year-on-year increase in international passengers during Q1 to approximately 930,000.
During the same period, sales at Lotte Duty Free’s cosmetics and perfume sales doubled year-on-year. The strong sales performance was partly driven by a successful cross-selling strategy, the retailer said. ✈
