Alpha Orient Lanka expands retailing at Colombo

Dermot Davitt

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Alpha Orient Lanka is participating in a big redevelopment of arrivals and departures retailing at Colombo Bandaranaiyake International airport

The retailer will operate a new arrivals shop of over 3000sq ft (279sq m), located in a prime spot immediately after immigration. The shop will bring a new look to the four key product categories at Bandaranaiyake: liquor, tobacco, fragrances and confectionery. Arrivals shopping generates 50% of overall retail sales at the airport.

The development will increase the space for fragrances. Wine is the retailer's fastest growing liquor category, and the changes will also allow its wine offer to be enhanced. The shop will have a frontage measuring 110 sq ft (1180sq m), and every passenger will have to either walk past the store or through it.

In departures, Alpha has also been allocated new shop space that all passengers will have to pass. There will be a new beauty shop, exploiting the fastest growing category in departures sales. The company will also introduce a destination merchandise concept named Sri Lanka?a Land Like No Other'.

Alpha Orient Lanka managing director Paul Topping said: "This expansion gives Alpha the opportunity to make major investments in the airport at Colombo, and includes shop fit-outs, systems and staffing. We look forward to working with the airport authority to deliver this exciting project."