Keeping track of those travellers

Although competition has increased in the downtown stores sector in the past few years as new operators have entered the market, the big established companies—DFS Group, Hotel Lotte and Hotel Shilla—continue to dominate, writes Sandra Newman

The Taiwanese are one of the most important nationalities for Asian travel retailers, with almost 9m high-spending outbound travellers. Sandra Newman analyses their travel and spending habits

Travel shop window

Nuance-Watson (HK) posted a sharp rise in watch sales at Hong Kong International airport last year. The retailer attributes the increase in part to its innovative store promotions and a diverse product assortment that appeals to its mainly international customers. Lorna Strickland reports

Marilyn Monroe famously described diamonds as a girl’s best friend and retailers in Asian duty-free are finding that diamond jewellery is becoming increasingly popular. Lorna Strickland examines sales trends in the category and asks how suppliers are adapting to the demand

Asian duty-free operators are finding their niche and opting to promote up-and-coming brands to create a unique retail offer. But as well as welcoming specialist brands, exclusivity is crucial to maintaining a competitive edge. Tina Milton reports

South Korea is one of the world’s fastest growing markets in terms of outbound travel. Over the past decade the number of Koreans travelling overseas has reached record levels. And according to The Travel Business Partnership founder and managing partner Nancy Cockerell, the trend is set to continue

Protégé International scorned any form of comfort zone when it first set up its business six years ago, making Asia its prime target. Michael Eaton finds out why