Canada land border sales rise 10% in 2000

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Canada's land border duty-free industry registered a rise in sales of 10.7% to C$208.1m ($136m) last year, TRW can reveal.

According to figures released this week, the high points of the year were July and August, with sales of over C$26m ($17m) in each month across the land border business in the country. Many operators at the leading border crossings also had a strong December, which is a quiet period in most years.

"It shows we're still in growth mode," Frontier Duty Free Association president Julian Lewin told TRW. "it's been a strong year for travel, with Americans continuing to come north. And many stores have implemented strong promotions and marketing."

Many operators are also investing heavily in their stores despite uncertainty over the government's regulatory review of the country's duty-free industry. The three-year review has examined all aspects of the business, including the awarding of licences and competition between operators. Currently, only one licence is issued per crossing.

Full details of Canada's land border sales, including a breakdown of 2000 sales by category, will appear in Duty-Free News International March 15.