Page 14 - Asian Cruise Traveller Duty & Tax Free Retail

Speaking to the Moodie Report, Starboard Cruise Services Senior Vice President, Luxury cruise Retail and Asia Office, David Goubert, highlighted the potential of onboard Travel Retail, stating, “As cruise ships become destinations in themselves, our mission is to inspire guests and make the experience unforgettable. We aim to create a memory, so that the product passengers buy on board becomes linked to their memory of the cruise. We have a captive audience for four to seven days which is unlike any other retail experience. We have time to make a connection.”2
This illustrates how onboard Duty and Tax Free Retail should not only be considered as a retail opportunity but tailored to be part of the wider passenger experience.
In addition to onboard offerings, various Travel Retail providers are targeting Asian travellers when they disembark the ship. A key example of this is the Hong Kong Cruise Plaza situated at the Kai Tai Cruise Terminal. The plaza boasts over 22,000 sq ft of retail space with emphasis placed on a luxury shopping experience within the Perfume & cCosmetics, Jewellery, Fashion, and Watch categories. High-end brands featured at the plaza include Dior, Breitling, Emporio Armani, Gucci, and Folli Follie among numerous others.
2 The Moodie Report (2015) Starboard begins a Golden Era of onboard luxury shopping
On-board retail should not just be considered a retail opportunity but part of the wider passenger experience
Significant investment has been made on retail space at on- land ports
Industry Insider:
Asian Cruise Traveller Duty & Tax Free Retail
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