DUBLIN AIRPORT AUTHORITY has opened its first retail stores in China.
The DAA opened 11 retail units this week at the new Changshui International Airport in South West China, which is the fourth-largest terminal building in the country.
The airport will see about 24 million people pass through it this year, which is expected to rise to 38 million passengers by 2012.
The shops are run by ARI, which is the retail company owned by DAA. Its shops in the airport trade under The Loop, like ARI’s stores at the Dublin, Shannon and Cork Airports.
They offer duty-paid products such as perfume, cosmetics, jewellery, souvenirs and other items.
Jack MacGowan, Chief Executive Officer, ARI described the news as “a key strategic development for ARI and DAA”.
We were involved in some consultancy contracts in China during the 1990s but we are now on the ground, for the first time, as retail operators in one of the world’s most dynamic economies and aviation sectors.
He said the shops also represent an important Irish trading presence in the fast-growing region of South West China.
We are confident we can build from this operational base to secure additional contracts in this region and throughout China and a dedicated Business Development team is currently pursuing opportunities in this regard.
They employ more than 90 local people at these shops in China, who are led by a small Irish management team. The most recent ARI store opened prior to this was in Delhi in 2010.
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