Charlotte Turner talks to Ivo Favotto, General Manager, LS Travel Retail Pacific about how the division has grown and developed since 2010, when it began to heavily invest in the region. Favotto also talks about the Auckland tender, after submitting its proposal in October.

LS Travel Retail believes that knowing the customers well, and the company’s strong relationship with the airport authority stands it in good stead for a successful outcome in Auckland.

Favotto denies that press, in the Pacific at least, is not taking a back seat and remains a ‘big part of the business’. He confirms that LS Travel Retail wants to grow in duty free, luxury and also food & beverage in the coming years.

Editor’s note

As the authority considers the various retailers involved in the bid – two of which are the incumbents DFS Group and James Richardson (JR) Duty Free – for two duty free contracts, the comments from some disgruntled passengers may play into the authority’s decision and to LS Travel Retail’s advantage.

In a story published online for TVNZ (a New Zealand publication), DFS New Zealand’s Auckland operation, along with JR/Duty Free – which also operates at the airport – have come under fire for ‘aggressive retailing’.