Dufry signs Shanghai Hongqiao deal

Nicole Mezzasalma

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The retailer will operate 20 duty-paid shops at Shanghai Hongqiao International airport West terminal

Travel retailer Dufry Group has signed a seven-year concession agreement with Shanghai Hongqiao International airport to operate 20 duty-paid shops covering 1,500sq m (16,145sq ft) at the location’s West terminal, which is set to open in March 2010 for the Shanghai 2010 World Expo.

The company said it has already started planning a “state-of-the-art shopping arena” featuring international luxury brands such as Hugo Boss, Burberry, Dunhill, Ermenegildo Zegna, Lacoste, Coach, Hermès, Giorgio Armani, Cartier and Omega.

Dufry Group CEO Julian Diaz said: “We are extremely pleased with the award of this concession at Shanghai Hongqiao airport and we would like to take this opportunity to thank everybody involved in the project for this great achievement. This venture means another significant step forward in direction of becoming the leading travel-retail operator in the Chinese market. We will spare neither time nor efforts to create for passengers an entertaining environment and unique shopping experience.”

Shanghai is China’s most populous city with 19m permanent residents. Hongqiao airport serves about 23m passengers a year, most travelling to domestic destinations.