On location: ARI for Portugal Duty Free and Vinci Airports unveil Lisbon Airport's new retail concept
Introducing a new-look Lisbon Duty Free
Aer Rianta International (ARI), together with partners ANA/VINCI Airports, unveiled last night (March 20), a new look Lisbon Duty Free retail concept and branding at Lisbon Airport Terminal 1, setting a new agenda for ARI’s Portugal Duty Free operation.
News of the Portugal Duty Free partnership was first announced in February 2022 when, following a competitive bid process, ANA/VINCI Airports selected ARI as their partner of choice to operate retail outlets across Portugal’s eight airports, equating to almost 10,000 square meters of retail space. The Design Solution (TDS) is the retailer designer for ARI in Portugal.
Portugal Duty Free opened its doors to passengers on June 1, 2022, with refurbishment works beginning shortly thereafter.
Ray Hernan, ARI CEO: “We are incredibly proud to showcase the new Portugal Duty Free Stores, which we believe have raised the bar for our industry in terms of exceptional retail experiences
Each location has a uniquely crafted identity, allowing passengers at Lisbon Duty Free, Porto Duty Free, Faro Duty Free, Madeira Duty Free and Azores Duty Free to experience a highly localized sense of place in each airport, designed to celebrate each location’s vibrancy and tourist appeal.
Adding a sense of place with a familiar Lisbon Number 28 tram
Nuno Amaral, Chief Operations and Business Development Officer, Portugal Duty Free spoke with GTR Magazine. “Over the last two years we’ve refurbished each airport in turn, and we are about three-quarters through our program now with the completion of Lisbon Duty Free now, and then Faro Duty Free and Porto Duty Free last,” she said. “We are aiming to finish them all by the end of the year.
Benamôr was founded in Lisbon in 1925
“We’ve taken a unique approach to branding per location. The Portugal Duty Free logo is specific per location and takes a local touristic element as part of the design. So, for Lisbon it’s a guitar from our famous Fado singing; in Faro it’s about the sun and beaches; in Azores it’s about the mountains and Pico Island’s landscape; for Madeira it’s the famous Santana Houses and for Porto it’s the D. Luis I Bridge. They all contribute to each of our five location’s branding,” Amaral added.
Highlighting 'Portugalidade'
The objective of this multi-million-euro refurbishment was to encapsulate the enchanting essence of ‘Portugalidade’ – from Portugal’s iconic landscape to its unique artistry and heritage, to the flavors and aromas of its world-renowned gastronomy – creating a memorable and unrivalled retail experience for passengers, says the company.
On location: GTR Magazine's Alison Farrington at the Lisbon Duty Free event
ARI’s approach to deliver a sense of place mood and feel to its product offer and store experience is a masterclass in localization strategy. Standout features inside the Lisbon Duty Free experience include the Lisbon Number 28 Tram where there is a selfie station and tram-themed gifting area. There is also a host of exclusive wine, port and liquor products featuring special Lisbon themed packaging and gifts that have been designed for the store, tapping into the Lisbon Duty Free ethos to offer local and special edition products that resonate with the city’s gastronomic and historic culture.
Lisbon Duty Free features a host of exclusive wine, port and liquor products
Perfect gift ideas with a local touch
Portugal Duty Free is now home to over 1,000 locally produced products, many exclusive to Portugal Duty Free. The Sabores de Portugal in-store concept celebrates the finest Portuguese cuisine, including the iconic and best-selling Pasteis de Nata, or custard tarts, delivered daily to the airport. The Port Cellar concept, meanwhile, boasts the country’s best port wine offering, with over 230 local port wines in an immersive and authentic cellar-style experience.
As well as championing the best of Portugalidade, Portugal Duty Free has further enhanced its international beauty brand offering – now across its three pillars of fragrances, cosmetics and skincare - with notable new additions such as Charlotte Tilbury, Le Labo, Sol de Janeiro and Creed (a Portugal-exclusive). “We have worked hard to elevate the premium fragrance offer here in Lisbon – we know this is a key category for our customers,” Amaral said.
Pre-Loved offers luxury second-hand accessories
Exceptional new offerings at Lisbon Duty Free also include the Pre-Loved boutique, home to pre-owned luxury fashion accessories; an expanded Victoria’s Secret store; and the new Lego store, which features a specially designed Lego art wall featuring Fado singers at its entrance.
Sustainability was a fundamental component of the store refurbishments, and the store design, fit out and ranging reflects the ESG commitments of both ARI and ANA/VINCI. This includes a dedicated Eco Area in Lisbon Duty Free, housing over 100 sustainably sourced products and offering environmentally friendly products for the conscious shopper, from water bottles to stationery to souvenirs and gifts.
The sense of place offering at the Lisbon Duty Free Terminal 1 location is powerfully enhanced with an eye-catching digital store entrance, where arching LCD panel walls showcase footage of the local landscapes and landmarks. Over 2,000 LED panels and over 450 LCDs have been used for the Lisbon Duty Free entrance signage, creating a unique sensory experience.
“The Portugal Duty Free experience is like no other, bringing sense of place to new heights"
Ray Hernan, ARI CEO commented, “We are incredibly proud to showcase the new Portugal Duty Free Stores, which we believe have raised the bar for our industry in terms of exceptional retail experiences. We have demonstrated how ARI is committed to delivering on our promises, taking concepts and making them a reality – the designs, renders and plans presented in our original tender bid to ANA/VINCI Airports have now been brought to life for passengers.
“I must also commend our teams, both global and local. Bringing Portugal Duty Free to life has truly been a global, collaborative effort. Looking back to June 1, 2022, stores were flipped in just nine hours, and just 63 working days after the awarding of our contract. Over 600 new colleagues joined our business overnight, each of whom share our passion for excellence and dedication to delivering ‘joy on your way’ to passengers.
“Collaborative partnerships are the foundation of our business, and we have big ambitions to continue to grow our operations in Portugal together with our partners, ANA/VINCI Airports.”
The new Lego store introduces a specially designed Lego art wall featuring Fado singers at its entrance
Alain Brun, CEO Portugal Duty Free, said, “The Portugal Duty Free experience is like no other. We have delivered an unrivalled global travel retail experience across each of our stores, bringing sense of place to new heights. The Portuguese have a wonderful sense of pride, and we have captured this throughout our stores with a modern airport shopping experience that also celebrates culture and heritage. This would not have been possible without the commitment of our teams, whose dedication to excellence and exceeding customer expectations continues to inspire me.”
Thierry Ligonnière, ANA/VINCI Airports Chief Executive Officer, commented, “Completing the duty-free store renovations marks a significant milestone in our ongoing commitment to enhancing the passenger experience, and PTDF, supported by ARI and VINCI Airports has delivered an incredible work. These renewed spaces offer a diverse retail selection, providing a tranquil shopping experience that elevates every journey.
“As part of ANA/VINCI Airports broader investment in upgrading airport infrastructure across our network in Portugal, this transformation reflects our dedication to creating world-class environments while supporting the economic development of the regions where our airports operate. We are proud to welcome travelers to these exceptional new spaces.”
