INNER MONGOLIA, CHINA. Zhuhai Duty Free Group yesterday (7 August) made its retailing debut in Inner Mongolia – an autonomous region of China – with the inauguration of a departures duty-free store at Ordos Ejin Horo International Airport.
The opening ribbon-cutting ceremony was graced by Ordos Airport Group Chairman Qu Shuqing, Zhuhai Duty Free Group Chairman Chen Hui and other VIPs and guests.
The 140sq m store is located on the international departures hall’s third floor. The main product categories are tobacco and liquor.
The store design is inspired by yurts – a portable, circular dwelling synonymous with Inner Mongolia comprising a lattice of flexible poles and covered in felt or other fabric*.
Addressing guests, Qu said the duty-free store represents an important cooperation between Ordos Airport Group and Zhuhai Duty Free Group. It is of great significance in terms of improving the airport’s functionality and enhancing Ordos’ opening to the outside world.
The store also reflects an important level of modernisation in business services and the supply chain, Qu added.
The partnership will deepen between Ordos and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and meet growing public demand for better travel services, he commented.
Ordos Airport Group will continue to open international and regional routes to attract more inbound and outbound passengers, he pledged. The company will work closely with Zhuhai Duty Free Group to position the departures store as a platform for Ordos to “open the door and embrace the world”.
The store opening will serve as an opportunity for the partners to explore further cooperation in various fields, Qu concluded.
In his speech, Chen Hui said Zhuhai Duty Free Group had been honoured more than three years ago to participate in the construction of Ordos with its partners.
The duty-free store opening is “of great significance” to Zhuhai Duty Free Group, he said.
“We will fully leverage our advantages in terms of brand resources and duty-free operational experience and strive to introduce renowned international and domestic brands of tobacco, liquor, perfumes and fine products,” he said.
By providing high-quality goods and services and creating an international airport duty-free store with local characteristics based on meeting passengers’ consumption needs, Zhuhai Duty Free will establish a landmark project for airport duty-free business in the northwest region, he promised.
Zhuhai Duty Free Group will help the airport upgrade its ‘aviation + tourism’ development strategy, and help Ordos as a city further improve its visibility and influence, while promoting high-quality economic and social development.
Chen described Inner Mongolia as a bridgehead for China’s opening to the north, a key component of the Silk Road Economic Belt, and an integral node of the ‘Eurasian Grand Corridor.’
Inner Mongolia has been deeply integrated into the high-quality joint construction of the ‘Belt and Road’ programme in recent years, Chen said.
Inner Mongolia has fully participated in the construction of the China-Mongolia-Russia Economic Corridor, and its status is “pivotal and irreplaceable”, he added.
Zhuhai Duty Free Group will collaborate with partners to focus on Ordos to further tap the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region’s consumption potential, drive the return of overseas consumption, and seize joint development opportunities.
In turn this will contribute to helping Ordos build world-class industries to integrate into China’s dual circulation programme, Chen concluded. ✈
