After winning a tender earlier this year, UK retailer WHSmith, best known for books, newspapers and travel convenience, will open its first shops in Finland at Helsinki Airport in late 2016, under a three-year agreement worth €25m.

 

WHSmith is now opening a total of four shops at Helsinki Airport’s Terminal 1 in late 2016 and in Terminal 2 in early 2017.

 

“It is a pleasure to have yet another international operator arrive in Finland,” says Finavia’s Elena Stenholm, Vice President of Commercial Services at Helsinki Airport.

 

“Large global companies are now more interested in Helsinki Airport as a place of business than ever before. This demand and interest shows that we have developed the airport and its commercial services in the right direction for efficiency and profitability.”

 

 

The WHSmith shops at Helsinki Airport will be operated by long-established partner, SSP Finland.

 

“WHSmith has a long history of international trade and experience in operating at travel hubs,” says Stenholm.

 

 

“This expertise, combined with our local know-how, will ensure that the needs of both domestic and international customers will be met. We will monitor the sales of all our shops and constantly adjust the selection based on demand.”

 

Marko Alander, General Manager of SSP Finland adds: “Designed especially for the needs of Helsinki Airport passengers, shops operated by us provide a combination of high-quality international and local products as well as attractive offers, guaranteeing an excellent customer experience for passengers.”

 

WHSmith is a leading retail group in the United Kingdom with operations in 25 countries. Over half of the company’s over 1,300 shops are located in travel environments, such as airports and train stations.

 

 

While developing and extending Helsinki Airport with almost €1bn, Finavia has also completely revamped the commercial service selection of Helsinki Airport.

 

According to the Finavia, investment from international operators in Finavia airports runs into tens of millions, and they have created ‘hundreds of new jobs’ at Helsinki Airport.