ESTONIA. Tallinn Airport has confirmed the decision to sign an agreement with SAS Trading for a further 130sq m (1,399sq ft) of shop space at the airport’s best commercial location and the extension of the current contract until 2009. As a result, SAS Trading is doubling its operations at the airport.
SAS Trading currently operates duty and tax free shops for spirits, wine, tobacco, fragrances, cosmetics and fashion at Tallinn airport. All of the shops carry the SAS trademark Euroshop. As a result of the new agreement, SAS Trading will take over the only shop that has been operated to date by a competitor – believed to be local company Stevela.
“We have compared the competing bids to find who can best contribute to enhancing the airport’s attractiveness. SAS had the best bid and is already thoroughly familiar with the airport,” said chairman of the board of Tallinn airport Rein Loik.
“I am highly satisfied with this result and the positive cooperation with Tallinn airport. The agreement is entirely in line with our favourable trend in Estonia, as well as throughout Eastern Europe,” said SAS Trading area manager Lars-Olof Corselli.
Estonia is a strong developing market, with increasing traffic, foreign investments and accession to the EU coming up in May 2004, to which the Euroshop concept is highly suited. In 2003, Tallinn handled more than 700,000 passengers. These were primarily business travellers, but there is also a rapidly expanding group of European leisure travellers and weekenders.
