The China Duty Free Group is due to open its 4,500sq m Angkor Duty Free Store today, described as Cambodia’s ‘most luxurious department outlet.

As reported, China Duty Free Group (Cambodia) is promising that its prices will be between 15% to 35% lower than downtown duty paid retail prices.

As is well known, Angkor is one of the most important archaeological locations in South-East Asia, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site and it may not be ‘an entire coincidence’ that the store is opening in a year when 407,330  Chinese nationals visited the country between January and September, according to Tourism Cambodia.

Of these visitors, 362,570 were recorded as tourists, alongside 43,421 business visitors and 1,339 ‘others’. This nine-month total represented a 19.8% rise over January to September 2013.

[All ‘the latest’ tourism statistic charts up to September 2014 can be found at the following link: http://www.tourismcambodia.org/images/mot/statistic_reports/tourism_statistics_sept_2014.pdf].

 

 

 

Dufry has expanded its retail space to 1,670sq m at Phnom Penh and Siem Reap international airports in Cambodia – more than double what it had before. It has also been granted an extension to its contract until 2020.

 

 

As reported earlier this month, China Duty Free is also due to open a second downtown duty free store in Phnom Penh in October 2015.

Meanwhile, CDFG says that the Angkor store is offering a full range of product categories and more than 200 international brands, including Bally, Burberry, Dior, Estée Lauder, Lancôme, SK II, Shiseido, Tissot and Rado.

The company pointed to ‘strong support’ from its CITS Group parent company which it says has built up close relationships with international and local travel agencies.

This was clearly evident from a meeting yesterday between Cambodian Tourism Minister Thong Khon and Wang Weimin, Chairman of the state-owned China International Travel Service Corp (CITS). Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Cabinet Minister Sok An was also present.

Thong Khon is quoted as saying that under a new Memorandum of Understanding agreement, CITS will continue to invest in duty free shops in Cambodia’s key tourism destinations.

 

DFS Group is also due to open an 8,000sq m T Galleria by DFS store in the Cambodian resort town of Siem Reap in early 2016.

 

Xinhua also quotes the minister as saying that 66 Chinese tour operators and 41 Cambodian tour companies have been providing tour services to tourists between the two countries, and eight Chinese airlines have been operating direct flights between the two nations.

Meanwhile, CITS’ Wang Weimin added that today’s opening of CDFG’s new shop in Siem Reap Province marks the beginning of this new MOU and significantly he added that CITS now has plans to operate direct flights between China and Cambodia in the near future.

CITS is making a major push to expand its areas of activity, with Chairman Wang Weimin also present in Jeju Island, South Korea last July where he visited the downtown operations of both Lotte Duty Free and Shilla Duty Free.

Chinese visitors account for around 90% of all visitors and CITS/CDFG are known to be interested in establishing a presence in this market. At the same time, Wang Weimin has also balanced his comments, emphasising a need for CITS/CDFG to additionally develop its Chinese domestic duty free market in an effort to encourage Chinese nationals to consume at home.

THE CAMBODIAN MARKET:
China Duty Free opening, December 5, 2014. Click here: http://www.trbusiness.com/index.php/regional/asia/16452-china-duty-free-group-cdfg-makes-price-promise-for-first-cambodian-store-at-angkor.html

DFS to open T Galleria in Cambodia, December 19, 2014. Click here: http://www.trbusiness.com/index.php/regional/asia/16531-dfs-to-open-t-galleria-in-cambodia.html

Dufry doubles space in Cambodia, October 2, 2014. Click here: http://www.trbusiness.com/index.php/regional/asia/16071-dufry-doubles-space-and-extends-duty-free-contract-in-cambodia.html