Lagardère Travel Retail has officially announced the re-opening of its 88 stores at Wuhan Tianhe International Airport (Terminal 3) in China.

The reopening of the airport and the retailer’s retail and food and beverage outlets on 8 April, as first reported by TRBusiness, marked the end of a 76-day lockdown in the city due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Lagardère Travel Retail, in partnership with Hubei Airport Group has been operating the retail and foodservice master concession since 2018.

This landmark reopening followed the decision of the Chinese authorities to lift the lockdown on the city of Wuhan, due to a fall in new reported Covid-19 cases across the country.

Following the reopening of the airport for domestic flights only, Lagardère Travel Retail expects sales at the facility to gradually rise in line with the increasing number of inbound and outbound passengers.

‘LIFE WILL RETURN TO NORMAL’

Speaking exclusively to TRBusiness on the eve of the re-opening, Eudes Fabre, CEO, North Asia, Lagardère Travel Retail said: “The symbol of Wuhan Airport reopening goes above and beyond any prediction or forecast of how revenues will be.

“The reopening is proof that everything which closed and disappeared will reopen and come back. You hear people saying they will not travel anymore and airlines suggesting they do not require any more planes. People are also saying they will no longer eat out as they have learnt to cook in quarantine, but the point to remember is that life will return to normal.”

He added: “It will probably take time for business to ramp back up, but I am personally confident and optimistic. Wuhan had been living under lockdown for a long time and I think people are really anxious to start living their lives again.”

To ensure the safety of all customers and staff, Lagardère Travel Retail has implemented strict hygiene and safety measures. These include the use of protective equipment, personal hygiene protocols, temperature screening, thorough and regular disinfection of all facilities and social-distancing measures.

In recognition of their ‘outstanding work and self-sacrifice’ during this unprecedented period, all medical workers flying out of Wuhan are being granted free meals at 16 restaurants and cafés in the terminal. They will also benefit from other shopping privileges throughout April.

Commenting in a statement issued by Lagardère today (14 April), Fabre said the ability of the company to restart operations at Wuhan Airport was testament to the dramatic improvement in the sanitary conditions in Hubei province. “I wish to thank our staff and business partners for their patience and stoicism throughout this crisis. This re-opening sends a strong message of hope and optimism to all in our industry who are affected by the current epidemic.”

OPTIMISTIC OUTLOOK

While traffic volumes remain below what they were pre-crisis, Fabre revealed an upward trend: “After a long lockdown period, people are keen to travel again and there is pent-up consumer demand which will translate into retail sales.

“Although it will take time to return to normality, I am optimistic about the future of our business here in Wuhan and more broadly in China. I hope this good news can provide comfort and confidence to those in other countries that better days are ahead of us.”

Lagardère Travel Retail is the largest international travel retailer in China, where it has been running airport stores since 2007. At Wuhan Airport, it operates under a long-term master concession which includes  travel essentials, speciality retail, luxury and foodservice.