An impressive year of commercial activity boosted concession sales at Singapore Changi Airport to a new $S2.5bn ($1.9bn) high in 2017, Changi Airport Group (CAG) has disclosed.

The result, as it currently stands, sees CAG jump into third spot behind Dubai International following Dubai Duty Free’s (DDF) recently reported $1.93bn duty free sales haul in 2017, based on estimated figures according to TRBusiness’ most recent Top 10 Airport rankings.

However, third-placed London Heathrow Airport has yet to disclose its full-year 2017 results [TRBusiness had previously estimated that the airport’s DF&TR sales grew from $1.6bn in 2015 to $1.72bn in 2016].

Lim Peck Hoon, Executive Vice President of Commercial at CAG said in a statement: “The growth in air traffic has allowed a bigger audience to gain exposure to Changi’s retail offerings. Our 2017 retail performance is mainly due to an effective retail mix guided by our passengers’ shopping needs and aspirations, as well as the various retail promotions that helped to lend novelty and drive buzz at Changi Airport.

“We thank passengers for their support and confidence in Changi’s shopping proposition, and will strive to make the Changi shopping experience an even more exciting one in the years ahead.”

ISHOPCHANGI TAKINGS +60%

According to CAG, travellers from China, Singapore, Indonesia, India and the UK topped the list of biggest spenders based on nationality, with Chinese and Singaporean shoppers accounting for more than half the total figure. In December, the airport hit 60m passengers for the first time.

Perfumes & cosmetics and liquor & tobacco occupied the top spots in terms of category sales, followed by luxury goods; electronics and gadgets; and confectionery [although CAG did not disclose individual sales performances].

Over 57 million transactions were registered in 2017, an average of 158,000 per day.

Meanwhile, its online platform iShopChangi recorded impressive growth of +60% year-on-year.

The service boasts a menu of 10,000 products from 500 brands and recently launched a home delivery service for Singaporean passengers.

As reported, CAG opened its first integrated duty free shopping zone at the 16 million capacity Terminal 4 in October, delivering 81 retail and F&B concessions including The Shilla Duty Free’s new perfumes & cosmetics offering.

MILLIONAIRE DRAW WINNERS

The commercial results were simultaneously revealed as CAG announced the winners of its annual millionaire grand draw.

Oddie Rehatta, 45, from Purwakarta, Indonesia and Zhang Xuchao, 26, from Beijing worked together as a pair to grab the $S1m ($757,000) windfall and keys to a new Volvo S90 T5 luxury sedan.

Both beat off competition from 12 finalists having teamed up in the second round to progress to the grand final.

*All images courtesy of Changi Airport Group