Mamma mia, Korea we go again…

by Martin Moodie |
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Martin Moodie

Martin Moodie is the Founder & Chairman of The Moodie Report.

I’m back on the road again after helping put our second-biggest print (and Interactive) edition of the year to bed in preparation for the forthcoming Singapore show.

In fact the magazine was about the only thing that went to bed, as Dermot Davitt and I, together with our tireless and talented designer and trouble-shooter extraordinaire Ray Heath worked into the wee, small hours over several tough nights to get the publication over the line. We’re immensely proud of the result, arguably our best yet, which you’ll be able to read online in coming days

Now it’s time to take a breather of sorts, while assessing the Asian travel retail landscape in the wake of extraordinary developments on the Korean peninsula. I do not read British newspaper The Sun, but I did stop at BA’s Heathrow T5 lounge to admire the title’s unlikely marrying of events Korean and Swedish in one brilliant headline.

I’ve arrived in Hong Kong for some key meetings and the chance for a glimpse of the new-look Hong Kong International Airport retail offer that is gradually evolving. The changeover from DFS to a combo of China Duty Free Group and Lagardère Travel Retail (trading as Duty Zero), The Shilla Duty Free (Beauty & You) and Gebr Heinemann (Sweet Dreams) is taking shape nicely and all seems set fair for a series of Grand Openings in June and July.

On the very big steel bird ex-Heathrow to Hong Kong
On the road again: If this is Saturday it must be Nizhny Novgorod
The Shilla Duty Free finds voice in Hong Kong International Airport’s arrivals hall. The Korean retailer’s departures stores are understood to have experienced a strong start.

Duty Zero, a nicely-titled partnership between China Duty Free Group and Lagardère Travel Retail, will celebrate its Grand Opening in July
Brilliant in every sense of the word. Duty Zero has partnered with Moët Hennessy to become the first travel retailer worldwide to launch the Veuve Clicquot Colorama Limited Edition collection, at Hong Kong International Airport. You just have to admire the exhuberance of the promotion from a brand that has one of the most stand-out presences in travel retail across all categories.

Timing and luck plays a big role in our industry and the new players are all benefiting from a rapidly improving business climate. February was a very strong month for all the airport’s retailers, with Shilla, in particular, enjoying an exceptional month, even though much of the shop area was still under renovation

Duty Zero, a nicely-titled partnership between China Duty Free Group and Lagardère Travel Retail, will celebrate its Grand Opening in July.

Exciting times.

My Moodie Davitt Report Interim Hong Kong Bureau is based in Tung Chung, within view of the airport and the hills, greenery and high-rise apartment blocks that characterise this part of Lantau. I love its convenience (ten minutes to the airport, 40 minutes to Central) and its spectacular combination of mountains and sea. There are some pretty spectacular combinations also taking place at Hong Kong International Airport too. Look out for my impressions in coming days.

Views from The Moodie Davitt Report Interim Hong Kong Bureau