Airports are one of the best untapped retail opportunities, according to Fiona Hamilton, BNP Paribas global head of retail. Speaking at Mapic today she said: ‘Retailers can offer more experiences to their customers because the returns are there. It makes it very exciting.’ It’s all about the story and the experience, she added.
Airports are also clever at 'pre-advising' travellers way before they arrive for their flight, creating anticipation and awareness, said Hamilton.
'We have seen a lot of innovation in transport hubs, and there will be more,' Hamilton said. Retailers can expect significantly higher sales densities than in traditional shopping malls or high streets, and while airport terminals such as Heathrow Terminal 5 might once have been the preserve of only the most luxury retailers such as Mulberry and Swarovski Crystals, they are now making way for more middle-rank brands. That’s not because expensive goods aren’t selling, but because you can only have so many handbags. Travellers, like any other consumer, want variety.
