Fiji’s Motibhai Group has paid tribute to 72 years of global duty free in 2019 with an announcement of its own.

Operating at Nadi International Airport since 1971, Motibhai Group is celebrating 48 years of ‘unbroken service’ through its Prouds chain of retail stores.

In a statement, the company says Prouds’ growth has ‘effectively positioned itself as a leading duty free and travel retailer in the region’.

Kirit Patel, Chairman, Motibhai Group.

TOURISM EVOLUTION

Motibhai Group Chairman Kirit Patel said: “This segment of our business has literally evolved with the tourism sector and economic prosperity of our beloved country and surrounding Pacific Island countries.

“We are an integral part of the world duty free scene. In the intervening years we have brought innovation and world class operations at the Nadi Airport duty free store.

“Having won numerous awards and recognitions at an international stage, I believe we have an unbroken world record to be one of the oldest airport duty free operators.

“More importantly we have always presented our offerings to meet the exacting requirements of the ever-changing passenger mix. This has been the hallmark of our success, as passenger satisfaction is of paramount importance.”

A Japanese customer is served at the Prouds duty free arrivals store at Nadi International Airport.

Motibhai Group has overseen changes to its operations at Nadi International Airport over the years, re-branding as ‘Prouds’ in 1996 to align with its town, city and resort shops. These have traded as Prouds since the 1960s.

In 1995, it spent $3.2m on its Nadi stores, resulting in a walkthrough duty free layout as expansion and refurbishment upgrades aligned with quicker passenger processing times.

Aside Nadi International Airport, Prouds has sites at Papa New Guinea’s Jacksons International Airport (in partnership with CPL Group) and runs a number of downtown and hotel stores in Fiji.

The birth of duty free as we know it today occurred in 1947, when Dr Brendan O’Regan opened the first outlet at Shannon Airport.

A global campaign spearheaded by TFWA was launched to mark the occasion in 2017.