VIETNAM. Ho Chi Minh City airport company SASCO (Southern Airport Services Co), owned by Vietnam Airlines, is looking to its next phase of terminal expansion, due for completion in 2006.
With the new supply structure in place for its duty free shops since last month – led by Imex Pan Pacific (liquor and tobacco), Asia Wave (leathergoods, fragrances and cosmetics), Javich International (sunglasses, watches and gifts) and Suez Trading (confectionery) – SASCO is already planning its next retail expansion. By 2006 all shops will move into a new terminal which will go into construction next year. This will almost double the size of the existing facility, featuring more brand shops, a massage or spa centre, slot machines and a shopping street layout, similar to Hong Kong.
In an exclusive interview with The Moodie Report, SASCO duty free manager Vu Thi Tuyet Hanh said: “We have so much experience. SASCO’s capital has grown up and we have enough power to trade on our own.”
Hanh described the relationships with its long-term suppliers as “ongoing” adding that there is no specific end date to the contracts.
“In the new terminal we will extend the range of services and we will do it ourselves,” said Hanh.
SASCO opened its first Tan Son Nhat airport duty free shops in 1989 in a joint venture with Thai company CMT, the group that went on to reform into the Malaysian-based Sriwani. SASCO’s cooperation with Sriwani continued until last month alongside the joint venture duty free operations of DFS/Queensway, Imex Pan Pacific and SUTL.
