CHINA. In an important and welcome landmark on the road to recovery from the global pandemic, Duty Zero by cdf (Duty Zero) has reopened one of its liquor, tobacco and gourmet item stores at Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA).
Since the temporary closure of its HKIA stores in March 2020, Duty Zero (an alliance between China Duty Free Group and Lagardère Travel Retail) has been largely reliant on its online mall and the pop-up store in Citygate Outlets in Tung Chung to offer its range of fine wines & spirits.
HKIA has been among the airports hardest hit by the global pandemic. In September it served a daily average of more than 7,000 passengers, amounting to just 5% of the pre-pandemic level in September 2019. The 227,000 passengers and 13,920 flight movements in September this year represented gains of +127.4% and +32.0%, respectively, over a very low base a year earlier.
Encouragingly, however, September 2021 saw significant increases in outbound transfer passengers from Mainland China to Europe and North America. On a 12-month rolling basis to the end of September, HKIA handled 1.2 million passengers and 137,520 flight movements, representing year-on-year declines of -95.2% and -39.0%, respectively.
The reopening of the store in Terminal 1’s Central Concourse enables travellers departing from Hong Kong and those from Mainland China transiting through the airport to other countries to purchase liquor, tobacco and other exclusive travel retail items in the restricted area on Departures Level (L6).
Welcoming the reopening, Duty Zero emphasised that it offers many travel retail-exclusive items, including The Macallan Concept No. 3. As reported, this is the final release of The Macallan Concept Series, a limited collection of annual release whiskies which fuse the artistry and expertise behind The Macallan’s whisky-making with creativity and culture. The Macallan Concept Series is a collaboration between The Macallan and renowned American graphic designer David Carson.
“Duty Zero is proud to be one of the exclusive duty free stores in Asia to sell The Macallan Concept No.3, which travellers may now purchase in our store at Hong Kong International Airport,” the retailer said.
