The new SCENTOPIA store features brands including Dior, Lancôme, Armani and YSL (full caption below).

SCENTOPIA has opened its first travel retail boutique at Accra’s Kotoka International Airport, in a move the retailer says will set a new benchmark for luxury beauty experiences in African travel retail. The launch is in partnership with leading regional distributor Inter-African Marketing (IAM).

The boutique marks a major milestone for SCENTOPIA, which has spent nearly a decade building a strong domestic presence in Ghana, Senegal and Mauritius. Known for its curated beauty environments and premium brand mix, the company is now extending its elevated retail approach into the airport channel for the first time.

The new store features an extensive portfolio that includes Dior, Lancôme, Armani, YSL, Paco Rabanne, Carolina Herrera, Gucci, CeraVe and La Roche-Posay. Designed with refined lighting, contemporary display fixtures and a fragrance-led sensory atmosphere, the space is positioned as a complete beauty destination for travellers.

Responding to a changing African travel landscape

The opening comes as African travel continues to expand. According to IATA, air travel across the continent grew by more than 5% year-on-year in 2025, while Ghana welcomed over 1.2 million international arrivals in 2024. The shift reflects greater leisure travel, diaspora reconnections and increased inter-African mobility.

SCENTOPIA CEO Vipul Gajjar said the boutique reflects a new era in African travel retail:
“The African traveller is no longer just passing through. They are curious, confident and globally connected. For years, travel retail in Africa has lacked the sensory, immersive experience seen in cities like Dubai or Paris. SCENTOPIA is here to change that.”

The new space is positioned as a complete beauty destination for travellers.

He added that many airport retail spaces in Africa either lack premium retail expertise, or fail to deliver international standards despite global branding. “SCENTOPIA stands in the middle—rooted in Africa, executed to global perfection. This boutique is a statement about who the African traveller has become.”

A partnership to elevate African travel retail

IAM Commercial Director Johnny Lakhwani said the opening reflects a broader shift in the region: “For IAM, this is more than a business milestone; it’s a reflection of a continent in motion. With travel on the rise, now is the time to support retailers and brands in elevating the passenger experience across African airports. The story of travel retail in Africa is just beginning – and it’s going to be extraordinary.”

The Accra boutique represents the first step in a broader travel retail expansion strategy for SCENTOPIA, with further airport openings planned across the continent.

Main image caption from L-R: Mr. Vipul Gajjar (CEO, Scentopia), Mr. Patrick Richmond Utomoibor (Area Manager, Africa Zone Travel Retail, L’Oréal), Mrs. Yvonne Nana Afriyie Opare (Managing Director, Ghana Airports Company Limited), Mr. Johnny Lakhwani (Commercial Director, Inter-African Marketing), Mr. Kwame Baffour Awuah Otchere (Group Executive, Commercial Services, Ghana Airports Company Limited

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