GTR must offer more convenience for travellers

Airports, retailers and airlines must work together to create a more convenient shopping environment for travellers or risk losing their competitive edge compared to domestic markets, the managing director of Zamora Company has cautioned.

Licor 43 is owned by Zamora Company

Thomas Clamens, managing director, Zamora Company, stressed the travel retail channel must put better plans in place to help travellers take their purchases home and create a more convenient shopping experience.

Clamens said: “With airline rules and regulations on cabin baggage allowance, plus the fact that consumers are often already weighed down with luggage for their trip, retailers need to put plans in place to help people actually take their purchases home.

“Some retailers are already offering a delivery service to holiday [or] trip destinations, or the consumer’s home. To help larger purchases in the airport, this needs to become the norm and that needs further collaboration between airports, retailers and airlines.”

Other challenges facing the travel retail channel include the number of ways consumers can access the internet and shop online while “on the move”.

“One factor that is specific to the travel retail sector is [the] number of ways consumers can access the internet ‘on the move’ and find out if the product they are about to purchase actually does offer good value, or can be found at a better price elsewhere,” Clamens added.

“It was understood that the price of products in travel retail were more competitive than domestic retail – there was no way to compare on the spot.

“Now, with the interruption of mobile phones and the use of the internet in-store, we can create [added value] for a brand like Licor 43 with exclusive promotions and formats not available in domestic markets.”

Low- and no-alcohol trend

Clamens also explained how brands must also address dietary requirements and the growing popularity of no- and low-alcohol offerings, even in the travel retail channel.

He offered Licor 43 Orochata as an example of the brand’s move to meet demand for lower-ABV and animal free products.

“The link between a focus on healthy lifestyles and no- [and] low-alcohol offers would be one example [of key challenges in travel retail],” Clamens said, “and both producers and retailers must ensure they are factored into their offerings.

“Three years ago, Licor 43 released its first range extension for exactly the same reason: Licor 43 Orochata is available in travel retail domestically and internationally.

“It is just 16% ABV and was created to bring a unique and fresh twist to the liqueur and cream liqueur category everywhere – and, actually, as it is vegetable-based and contains no cream, it straddles both.”

Zamora Company has also released a travel retail-exclusive expression of Martin Miller’s Gin. Martin Miller’s 14 Moons has been aged in a single Pedro Ximénez Sherry butt, and bottled at 40% ABV.