PORTUGAL. Portugal Duty Free, the joint venture between ARI, Vinci Airports and ANA Aeroportos de Portugal, has extended the travel retailer’s National Day of Joy celebration into a month-long programme of activities designed to bring its ‘Joy On Your Way’ brand expression to life.
As reported, ARI has launched a campaign across its global network that aims to foster closer connections to colleagues and customers.
The retailer is marking the occasion with a striking makeover of The Moodie Davitt Report desktop homepage along with an elegantly curated treatment of our mobile website.
At Portugal Duty Free, the initiative known as ‘Joy Month’ aims to create joy through “everyday interactions, memorable customer experiences and meaningful connections between colleagues, travellers and local communities”.
Throughout June, the company is delivering a wide-ranging programme of activations across its stores, operations, headquarters and warehouse locations, combining colleague recognition, customer engagement, sustainability initiatives and celebrations of Portuguese culture.
A major focus is colleague engagement, noted the company. The programme began with celebrations marking the Portugal Duty Free anniversary earlier this month, bringing teams together across the business through shared celebrations and birthday cakes.
Colleagues also received ARI Joy mint tins and more than 800 employees were presented with summer-themed gifts in recognition of the role they play in creating memorable experiences for travellers.
Adding a digital dimension to the celebrations, Portugal Duty Free launched its Smile Challenge through the company’s internal app. Colleagues were encouraged to collect and share smiles through interactions with team members and customers, earning points as part of a friendly competition designed to encourage engagement and positive connections. The initiative quickly gained momentum, with one colleague collecting more than 5,000 points during the campaign.
Joy Month has also incorporated a strong community and sustainability element. A dedicated ESG Day brought together people leaders from across the organisation, reinforcing a commitment to creating positive impact both within and beyond the business.
For travellers, the celebrations brought ‘Joy On Your Way’ to life through a series of customer-facing experiences. Portugal Day was marked by live tastings hosted by renowned Portuguese chef Fábio Bernardino at Lisbon Airport terminals 1 and 2, while stores embraced the atmosphere of Portugal’s popular Santos Populares festivities.
A defining element of the programme was a connection to local culture. Throughout June, Lisbon and Porto locations have come alive with music, food, colour and community celebrations during Santos Populares.
Portugal Duty Free Marketing Director Cláudia Carvalho said: “For Portugal Duty Free, joy is present 365 days a year. It is reflected in the warmth of our people, the energy of our stores and the experiences we create for travellers.
“Joy Month gave us an opportunity to celebrate that spirit together, from recognising colleagues and supporting our communities to encouraging thousands of positive interactions through initiatives such as our Smile Challenge.”
‘Joy Month’ also complemented a year-round programme of retailtainment, in-store experiences and local cultural activations, reinforcing a commitment to creating engaging and memorable airport journeys, said the company. ✈
