Bacardi Global Travel Retail has said its focus is on innovation and revitalisation in the Americas in 2019.
The company’s Regional Director Americas Geoff Biggs (pictured right) was speaking ahead of the 2019 Duty Free & Travel Retail Summit of the Americas, which takes place in Orlando between 24 and 27 March.
Biggs particularly noted the innovative launch of Dewar’s Double Double and the introduction of a new Patrón bar experience at Cancun Airport, which he said was “designed and positioned to increase engagement with American consumers as we continue to grow the strength of Patrón in the region”.
The bar experience will open at the end of March in Terminal 3 as part of a five-year collaboration between Bacardi Global Travel Retail, ASUR Cancun Airport Authority and Dufry.
It has been created to engage passengers with Patrón and also encourage sales from the adjacent Dufry store. A new limited-edition and travel retail-exclusive Silver Patrón gift tin (pictured left) will feature instore, priced at US$50 (for 1 litre).
Biggs also noted other opportunities in the Americas region. “There’s positive growth on the Canadian/US border thanks to the stablilisation in currency rates and encouraging signs in Latin America where we are looking forward to working with operators on their new store plans,” he said.
“Cruise is especially exciting with strong organic growth in the industry and several new vessel launches across major operators including MSC, Carnival Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean – we continue to build on great consumer opportunities especially for Bacardi premium rums.”
