SOUTH KOREA. Lotte Duty Free has rolled out a large-scale Lunar New Year campaign targeting cruise tour groups and foreign independent travellers (FIT) during the holiday travel peak.
The initiative taps into the surge in tour group arrivals at Lotte Duty Free locations, driven by the recent expansion of cruise routes from China.
Around 2,300 Chinese tourists arrived at Incheon Port on 6 February onboard the MSC Bellissima, the largest cruise ship ever to dock at the port, before heading to the retailer’s Myeong-dong flagship outlet in Seoul.
The group notably included high-spending tourists participating in an incentive travel programme, including the executive team of the Zhejiang Chamber of Commerce, one of China’s largest merchant organisations.
Among the top-selling categories were cosmetics and luxury goods, including handbags, watches and local speciality products.
The momentum is also evident at Lotte Duty Free’s regional locations, including Busan Port, where cruise arrivals from China have risen sharply from just eight last year to approximately 170 this year.
Lotte Duty Free’s Busan and Jeju stores are preparing for an estimated 4,000 cruise ship tourists during the upcoming Lunar New Year holiday by deploying additional on-site staff and optimising shopping routes.
Lotte Duty Free goes all-in on FITs
Another key focus for Lotte Duty Free is foreign independent travellers visiting Korea during this busy travel season, prompting the retailer to step up its promotional activities.
Running until 23 February, Lotte Duty Free is offering KRW90,000 (US$62) in Pre LDF Pay and up to KRW1.23 million (US$852) in LDF Pay at its downtown stores.
Shoppers using Alipay can receive additional benefits of up to KRW300,000 (US$208).
Foreign tourists can redeem discount coupons and membership tier upgrade benefits from leaflets available at the Myeong-dong Tourist Information Centre, in line with the Korea Grand Sale.
Lotte Duty Free is also running a gacha event (a randomised prize promotion), with 2,026 winners set to receive gift cards worth KRW10,000 (US$7).
The retailer highlighted the strong response to these experiential promotions, which drove a +510% year-on-year increase in related event sales.
The promotions extend to the online platform, offering UnionPay customers additional discounts based on their purchase amounts.
In addition to offers for international visitors, Lotte Duty Free is running dedicated holiday promotions for Korean shoppers.
Throughout February, KRW1.51 million (US$1,046) in LDF Pay is available for qualifying purchases in fashion, watches and jewellery at the retailer’s Myeong-dong and World Tower stores in Seoul and in Jeju, and across all categories at its Busan locations.
In addition, the retailer is offering a double-gift promotion for weekend shopping, with Naver Pay customers eligible for up to KRW1.88 million (US$1,302) in LDF Pay during the holiday period.
Lotte Duty Free Head of Marketing Division Nam Gung-pyo said, “As cruise routes from China show signs of recovery, we are focusing on enhancing the quality of service at on-site customer contact points.
“Lotte Duty Free will continue to collaborate with inbound travel agencies to attract group tourists, while also preparing a diverse range of tailored benefits for independent travellers.” ✈
