CHINA. China Duty Free Group (CDFG) has stepped up its rapid expansion with a key new contract in Macau and the opening of a major downtown store in Beijing.
CDFG announced today that it has signed a contract with Sociedade de Jogos de Macau (SJM), a deal that will see the retailer open a flagship downtown store at the Grand Lisboa Palace in Macau.
As reported, the parties entered into a binding Memorandum of Understanding to open the store in October 2018.
Grand Lisboa is SJM’s future integrated resort on the Cotai Strip, Macau. It is expected to open in the second half of 2019. CDFG will be the anchor tenant, operating 7,500sq m in a prime first floor retail space at the Grand Lisboa Palace, marking the Chinese travel retailer’s downtown debut in Macau.
At the signing ceremony, CDFG President Charles Chen expressed his gratitude for the trust and support of SJM, and said Lisboa was “a very grand and attractive integrated resort project”.
Chen said the opening represented a significant step in CDFG’s expansion strategy.
CDFG and SJM said they would work together in the future to enhance the service quality and business image of Macau’s duty free business, and contribute to the prosperity of tourism-related industries in Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau.
Beijing breakthrough
Separately, CDFG announced that it has officially opened a 513sq m downtown duty free store in Beijing, at the Blue Harbor shopping centre.
Brands to feature include Estée Lauder, Dior, La Mer and Shiseido. Shoppers make their purchases in the store and can pick them up at the airport on departure, with collection points set up in the departures zone, CDFG said.
As reported, CDFG recently reopened its upgraded downtown duty free store in Dalian. The retailer said that the city represents an important gateway and tourist destination in Liaoning Province.
The 500sq m store, in the Shahekou district, is adjacent to Xinghai Square, one of Dalian’s major landmarks and a draw for many visitors.
In related news, CDFG earlier this month opened new downtown duty free stores in Xiamen on China’s southeast coast and Qingdao in the southeast of Shandong Province. It also added new stores in Hainan Island in January: Haikou Riyue Plaza Duty Free Shop and Qionghai Bo’ao Duty Free Shop. These complement growth in the airport business, which will include Beijing Daxing International later this year.
