Estée Lauder is one of several boutiques at Chongqing.

Dufry is growing its presence in China with the opening of five luxury beauty boutiques at Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport through the five-year contract won in September 2022.

The spaces span more than 450 square metres both landside and in the airside departure area.

In the landside departure terminal, Dufry is introducing Xiangshe 香舍 or ‘House of Scents’ for the first time in China.

Dufry’s multi-brand beauty store features premium and luxury fragrances, skincare and makeup curated for Chinese travellers.

Airside, Dufry is partnering with global brands Estée Lauder, Lancôme, Guerlain and Shiseido in delivering four bespoke, standalone brand boutiques.

Shiseido Head of Business Development, China, Johnson Jiang, said he was “excited to see more of China’s travellers are flying again,” while Estée Lauder Head of Business Development, China, Lawrence Zhu, sent congratulations to Dufry and looked forward to partnering with it in Chongqing Airport’s Terminal 3.

Left: The striking façade of the Xiangste store. Right: Inside the Guerlain boutique. 

Guerlain Associate Sales Director, China, Derek Zhang noted his brand’s 190-year history and that during the past 20 years it has been “highly welcomed” by Chinese consumers.

Asia Pacific “key growth region” for Dufry

Dufry considers Chongqing Jiangbei International as a strategic airport in its expansion plan for China, with subsidiary, HMSHost International, opening four F&B outlets – Crystal Jade Restaurant, Habit Burger Grill, The Coffee Club and Puro Gusto– on 21 June this year.

Dufry president & CEO APAC, Freda Cheung, said: “We are delighted to be offering this selection of luxury beauty brands to the passengers who travel through Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport.

“Asia Pacific is a key growth region for Dufry and this new agreement with our airport partner, following the successful opening of our F&B outlets at the same airport, is an important step forward for us in our geographical expansion and objective to revolutionise the travel experience.

Guerlain has catered for Chinese passengers for 20 years.

“The launch of Xiangshe 香舍 in China is a milestone for us and we very much look forward to seeing the concept thrive and grow across the APAC region.

“We are very thankful to our partners at Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport for the trust placed in us, and to our esteemed brand partners, with whom we have worked globally for many years, for collaborating with us to bring the best experience for passengers travelling through China.”

Sino Singapore Chongqing Airport Commercial Management General Manager, Ma Yan added her congratulations to the venture, noting Dufry was the “global leader in travel retail.”

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