Sales boost for BAT at Jakarta

Andrew Pentol

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The Dunhill smoking lounge at Jakarta International airport has helped the supplier to achieve double-digit growth at the location

British American Tobacco (BAT) has revealed that the Dunhill smoking lounge attached to the duty-free shop at Jakarta International airport has prompted double-digit growth in tobacco sales since it first opened in July 2007. The lounge is the only Dunhill smoking facility connected to an airport shop.

BAT head of marketing Asia/Pacific travel-retail Sacha Cotting hinted that smoking lounges with shops attached could be a new way forward. He said: “Judging from the results in Jakarta, we believe there are merits for retailers, consumers and for BAT. But it is important to point out that the location of the lounges varies from airport to airport, which must be considered.”

The company has opened other smoking lounges at Tokyo Narita, in January 2007, and at Ho Chi Minh City Tan Son Nhat, last October. Each smoking lounge varies in size from about 20sq m (215sq ft) to 50sq m (540sq ft) depending on airport layout and the space available.