TAIPEI. Tasa Meng today defied the COVID-19 crisis to soft open a new multi-brand cosmetics and perfumes store at Taoyuan International Airport.
The store features a roll-call of great brands including Lancôme, Chanel, Estée Lauder, Christian Dior, Shiseido, Clé de Peau Beauté, Clarins, Guerlain, Yves Saint Laurent and La Prairie.
Tasa Meng Corporation General Manager Gary Chau noted that pandemic-related travel restrictions have “slammed” the travel retail business in Taiwan since the beginning of 2020.
“Business continues to be very difficult due to quarantine measures imposed by different countries,” he noted. “There are plans regarding travel bubbles with other countries but curves of new infections in numerous locations are climbing while others are seeing the first new infections in months. So it seems that travel bubbles will be very difficult to start within the next few months.”
The following key developments have affected the market in recent weeks:
25 June: The government begins allowing transit passengers through Taoyuan International Airport, allowing them to continue onwards to other destinations. Transit passengers can shop duty free at the airport.
17 July: The first ‘one-day tour’ of the airport, organised by Taoyuan International Airport Authority and the International Airport Business Development Association, takes place. The key objective is to allow customers to visit an international airport and enjoy different facilities, discovering the world-class service provided by restaurants and duty free retailers.
Day-trip tours will continue until 29 August, taking visitors to the airport aprons, waiting rooms and outdoor observation decks. Visitors will be treated to lunch at the airport’s VIP lounge, enjoy duty free shopping and be given the chance to participate in a lucky-draw offering round-trip flight tickets to countries in Northeast Asia and Oceania.
Ongoing: Meanwhile, discussions between airports and major airlines continue in Taiwan. There are plans to offer flights around Taiwan’s perimeter and perhaps reach international airspace amid the COVID-19 scare.
26 July: Taiwan becomes the world’s second country to resume cruise ship travel with the cruise ship Explorer Dream docking at Keelung port.
Explorer Dream stops at Kinmen, Matsu, and Penghu – the outlying islands of Taiwan, where travellers can enjoy offshore duty free shopping thanks to special regulations in place.
The island-hopping itinerary marks beginning of a revival of the global cruise industry, which has been battered by the coronavirus pandemic. Explorer Dream can host up to 3,630 passengers, but it will serve no more than 1,800 during the early stages of the resumed operations.
Health screenings are carried out on customers before they are allowed onboard and social distancing rules are among the safety measures. The ship also has isolation wards within its onboard medical centre.
30 July: Eva Air announces that it will starts the first ‘semi-international’ flights on 8 August at Taoyuan International Airport. Passengers have to present their passport and ticket at security and the custom check point followed by passport control. Aircraft can take a route across northeastern Taiwan towards the Ryuku Islands and turn around. Travellers can enjoy duty free shopping and an authentic air travel experience.
1 August: Taiwan will allow medical tourists to enter the country though a 14-day quarantine measure will be imposed.
*The recovery of the airport commercial business is being supported by the International Airport Business Development Association, established in 2019. Its members are aviation and airport sector stakeholders, and include airlines, duty free and food & beverage operators and other service providers at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport. Tasa Meng Chairman Nancy Ku is the association’s President.
