AUSTRALIA. Mecca, Australia’s largest prestige beauty retailer, has joined the exhibitor and speaker lineup for the upcoming Australian Airports Association (AAA) Retail & Commercial Forum on 22-24 July at the Pullman on the Park in Melbourne.
Organised by a partnership between the AAA, The Mercurius Group and The Moodie Davitt Report, the Forum brings together all the key players in the airport non-aeronautical revenue sector. These include airports from Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands, duty-free and specialty retailers, food & beverage operators, foreign exchange operators, advertising concessionaires, ground transport providers and various advisers and suppliers.
Mecca has taken two booths in the exhibition, providing conference delegates with both makeup and skincare consultations on-site. The space will showcase products from its extensive brand portfolio including Charlotte Tilbury, NARS and Mecca Max, highlighting the high-touch service offerings of their existing and future stores in travel retail.
In addition, Mecca Chief Mecca-Maginations Officer Marita Burke will join a retail and marketing technology panel discussion. She will focus on the brand’s approach to omnichannel retailing, its market-leading loyalty programme, and the role they have each played in the brand’s success.
Already in the domestic terminals at Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane airports, Mecca announced its plans to further expand its travel retail footprint into the Australian and New Zealand markets at the Forum last year.
Mecca’s double involvement at the Melbourne event signals the commitment of one of Australia’s fastest-growing retailers to travel retail.
Burke said: “Visiting our Mecca airport stores signals the start of an exciting start to a trip – be it for business, a holiday, or a simple getaway. At these stores, we see full make-up bag overhauls, top-ups and customers buying their beauty favourites ‘just because’.
“And soon our customers will be able to get an express facial or their make-up done while they wait for their flights. This is just the beginning of our big plans for travel retail – there’s so much opportunity in this space.”
Australian Airports Association CEO James Goodwin added: “It’s great to have Mecca involved again and offering interactive experiences with delegates, proving the value of the Forum as a platform for domestic market retailers and brands to access and promote travel retail opportunities.”
The Mercurius Group Managing Director Ivo Favotto commented: “Mecca’s involvement in the Forum strengthens this year’s focus on the beauty category.
“As previously announced, The Mercurius Group will release the Airport Beauty Category Study at the Forum, and the Forum agenda includes a beauty discussion panel, which will feature speakers from Dior, Sydney Airport, Lagardère AWPL and Amcal Express APGP”.
The Moodie Davitt Report President Dermot Davitt said: “The Forum is the place to be for brands and retailers interested in the burgeoning travel retail market in this region.” ✈
