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Zürich Airport plan to open two 1,000sq m Arrivals stores with concessionaire The Nuance Group |
SWITZERLAND. Zürich Airport and The Nuance Group plan to open two large Arrivals duty free stores, of around 1,000sq m each, once the legislative process to approve the Arrivals channel in Switzerland is finally completed in the coming months.
Last week the industry’s drive to formalise the introduction of Arrivals duty free gained momentum when parliament (the National Council) approved the necessary legislative changes by a vote of 114 to 56. In early December a vote from the smaller, upper house of Parliament is expected to ratify the move.
Zürich Airport Chief Commercial Officer Peter Eriksson, who has helped drive the process from the airport’s side for the past ten years (and who will leave the group at the end of September), said: “Finally, after all these years, we hope to go live and be operational by the end of March or early April. We are delighted to finally get this clearance.
“Already ongoing are the construction of two fantastic store units, each roughly 1,000sq m in size. Together with The Nuance Group, we will be ready on time. A massive publicity campaign will accompany this, pre- and post the opening.”
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Peter Eriksson: “We hope to be operational by the end of March or early April” |
As reported, in March the Swiss Federal Council (government cabinet) gave its support to the Arrivals move, after a five-month consultation in 2009. In its report at the time the Council said that the move would improve the attractiveness of Swiss airports as locations to purchase duty free goods. It said it expected 60 to 80 new jobs to be created, and forecast that the number of transactions handled by duty free shops would increase sharply. This in turn would aid the Swiss economy, added the Council.
The Federal Council forecast CHF50-60 million (US$47-56 million) in additional annual duty free revenues from Arrivals. Of these revenues some CHF20-23 million (US$18-21 million) would be passed on to airport authorities in additional rent and concession fees, it said.
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