SWITZERLAND. Arrivals duty free shopping will be introduced in Switzerland within the next 12 months. That’s according to Unique (Zürich Airport) Chief Commercial Officer Peter Eriksson, who was speaking at the recent ACI Airport Business & Trinity Forum in Macau.
The Swiss Parliament last year confirmed a change in tax and Customs legislation that would allow for Arrivals duty free. Under current laws, duty free can only be bought on departure from the country.
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Zürich Airport Chief Commercial Officer Peter Eriksson: Arrivals duty free likely to be in place within one year |
Earlier this year, the government launched a consultation process that was seen as the final step towards introducing Arrivals, and that process is expected to last into 2010.
Eriksson noted: “In around one year we will open the first Arrivals duty free shop in Switzerland. The law has been passed but it takes time to implement. That is a big opportunity for the business.”
In his address to Trinity delegates, Eriksson also outlined a major project to overhaul commercial facilities at Zürich Airport.
He said: “We have 28,000sq m of commercial space at the airport, split between retail and food & beverage. And over the next two years we will re-design and redevelop 20,000sq m of that space. We will totally re-style food & beverage in particular. We will also create a new central security check, so it will be a dramatic transformation of the airport.”
*Key highlights of Peter Eriksson’s outstanding speech will appear in a special report on The Trinity Forum in The Moodie Report Digital Print Edition for October, out at TFWA World Exhibition.
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Swiss Arrivals duty free moves a step closer as government launches consultation – 07/05/09
