This photo provided by Lotte Duty Free on July 13, 2023, shows its store at Melbourne Airport in Australia.
SEOUL, July 13 (Korea Bizwire) — Lotte Duty Free, the travel retailer of Hotel Lotte Co., said Thursday it has opened a duty-free shop at Australia’s Melbourne Airport and aims to boost annual sales to 300 billion won (US$235.4 million).
In January, Lotte Duty Free won a concession to operate at a spot at Melbourne Airport formerly operated by Switzerland-based Dufry AG, beating six other travel retailers.
Lotte Duty Free’s Melbourne store began operation in June, offering 390 brands, including cosmetics, perfumes, alcoholic beverages and cigarettes.
According to Melbourne Airport’s operator, around 740,000 international travelers used the airport in May, recovering to 87.6 percent of the pre-pandemic level tallied in 2019.
“Lotte Duty Free has passed a long tunnel called the pandemic and will make a leap through successful operation of the Melbourne store,” Kim Ju-nam, CEO of the travel retailer, said.
Kim said Lotte Duty Free will become a global platform by expanding overseas business.
Lotte Duty Free currently operates 14 overseas duty-free stores in six countries, including the inner city store in Sydney of Australia and its downtown store in Da Nang city, Vietnam.
(Yonhap)
