Norwegian arrivals shopping could open by July

Lorna Strickland

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Oslo operator Travel Retail Norway is hopeful that arrivals duty-free will be approved in time to open stores for the summer season

Visitors to Norway and returning locals could be able to shop duty-free upon arrival in the country as soon as July. According to Travel Retail Norway general manager Pal Wibe, the battle to secure approval for arrivals duty-free is "99% successful", and he suggested that stores could be inaugurated by July 1. Travel Retail Norway, the joint venture between Gebr Heinemann and Esthetique Norge, has an option to create a 400sq m (4,300sq ft) arrivals shop at Oslo International airport.

The news will be greeted with alarm in neighbouring Scandinavian countries, whose airport operators stand to lose lucrative custom from crucial Norwegian travellers. Copenhagen Airports vice-president commercial affairs Henrik Busch said that an agreement signed between Scandinavian nations stated that no arrivals shopping would be permitted. "If it happens it will hurt us because much of our traffic goes to Norway," he admitted.