Belgrade Airport and Avolta unveil new retail plans

NEWS FLASH

Avolta, formerly known as Dufry, has won a new seven-year contract at Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport, which will see the company operate ten duty free stores and includes hybrid elements with food & beverage (F&B) outlets. The stores will occupy more than 3.500 square metres of space. The coming months will see a significant expansion of Avolta’s activities at the airport. The centrepiece of the new retail space will be a large walk-through duty-free store currently under construction, which is the newest incarnation of Avolta’s “store of the future” concept. “This will showcase a strong sense of place with a diverse range of brands and travel-exclusive products. The new contract signifies more than just the extension of a business agreement; it symbolises an opportunity for Avolta to deepen its collaboration with airport partners, innovating through hybrid concepts, giving travellers the best of both travel retail and F&B”, the company said.

New features will include: Two additional shop-in-shop concepts – a wellbeing concept catering to the growing demand for health, wellbeing and sustainability focused products, plus an immersive experiential concept Haute Parfumerie, elevating the fragrance discovery experience. A new “Welcome Bar” will greet travellers at every entrance with a range of beverages and ice-cream and a small seating area, while the “Mind. Body. Soul. Café” will build on the shop-in-shop concept to offer organic products such as fresh juices and healthy raw cakes with a dedicated small seating area. Another new feature will be the Rakia Bar, celebrating the region’s potent fruit brandies, offering a full selection of rakija with customers sampling in a large bar and seated area, which will be complemented by a full food menu.

Avolta will also run ten dedicated fashion boutiques at the airport. In addition to the existing Boss store these will include, Ralph Lauren, Michael Kors, Victoria‘s Secret and Avolta’s multibrand store concept Urban Attitude. Two dedicated children’s shops, Candy Fair and Toy Fair, will be opened alongside a specialised souvenir store Belgrade Market, which will “embody the spirit of the region”.

Belgrade Airport’s Chief Commercial Officer, Miodrag Mirković, said, “We are delighted to continue the successful cooperation with Avolta and enhance it further, thanks to the three times larger future commercial areas than before. The planned store of the future concept at our airport will be among the first in Europe, and our passengers will be able to enjoy this next level of design innovations, engagement and comfort offered”.

Construction work on the new stores and duty free concept at the airport are ongoing and will be completed this year.