Tappoo Duty Free CEO Kanti Tappoo has confirmed there are big changes taking place to the commercial facilities at Nadi International Airport.

 

This ties in with TRBusiness’ report yesterday that Airports Fiji Limited (AFL) is to engage in the long-awaited expansion of Nadi International Airport next month – even though Tappoo says that the retailer has already engaged in a major renovation programme and two stores on the ground floor must now relocate to the top floor.

 

He said: “We just renovated and spent a lot of money on a very nice looking store and unfortunately we have to move again now. But the good thing is we have a security of turnover in the fact that we’ve got a long-term concession. They’ve renovated the airport like I said and it’s going to be good once everything is complete and we’re going to get a good regular location. But obviously the rent is going to be very, very steep and it’s going to be tough for us, especially in the first few years.

 

“What happens is that as soon as you pass immigration there are escalators that take everybody to the first floor and all the gates start from there. So in a way it’s an advantage, because people have to go there.”

 

Kanti Tappoo said Airports Fiji Limited also has a plan to increase its range of speciality stores and food and beverage outlets. He said: “I think it is going to be a good thing and it’s a very ambitious plan. It’s been drawn up by international architects who have done Brisbane and other airports [Hawkins Infrastructure-Ed] so they have hired the best people to design the airport. So I think the final product will be quite good and it will be good for Fiji.”

 

He describes tourist arrivals to Fiji as ‘very good’ so far this year: “I think for the last three or four years every year there has been growth. Our major market is still Australia, which is more than 50%, then New Zealand is about 22% and the rest is made up of all the other nationalities. Australia and New Zealand are what I would describe as our bread and butter and the numbers have held up.”

 

 

Kanti Tappoo and Harnish Tappoo from Tappoo Duty Free.

 

 

FIJI TOURISM REMAINS STRONG

All of which is good news for the country which Tappoo acknowledges has not had the easiest times in recent years: “Yes, we have had a hard time and to top it all the natural disasters as well. But overall tourism is the mainstay of the economy and Fiji is beautiful and Australians and New Zealanders still find it fascinating – there has been growth every year from Australia and New Zealand.”

 

Tappoo says that air services – a vital component for Fiji – are also healthy at present: Fiji Air is doing extremely well and they’ve increased their frequencies. They’re flying out directly to Hong Kong as well three times a week and have increased their flights to the States. Other airlines such as Jetstar are also flying into Fiji and so is Virgin and then there are the carriers from New Zealand. We also have Korean Air flying here, so tourism is still clearly the mainstay of the economy.”

 

He adds that Fiji also ‘gets its share’ of Chinese and cruise ships and the company is able to tap into this source of customers through its big department store in Suva which is just around the corner from the cruise ship port.

 

 

“That is going very well and downtown is becoming very popular. People go into our store and there’s a coffee shop there, arts and crafts and a lot of local experiences and that’s why we’ve spent a lot of money and effort in building these good downtown stores.”

 

This has been so successful, that Tappoo says the company plans to open another large store in Lautoka, which is the second largest entry port city’ in Fiji, located on the island of Viti Levu some 24km north of Nadi.

 

He said: “This is going to be another beautiful store. A lot of people are commenting that they can’t believe there is such a high retail standard in a small place like Fiji, but that is what we have done. So we are planning something similar in Lautoka and again this is for both tourists and locals.”

 

Tappoo Duty Free competes directly with Prouds at Nadi International Airport, which is part of the Motibhai Group of Companies.

 

[Click here for the overall Nadi Airport renovation and development plan as reported yesterday: http://www.trbusiness.com/index.php/regional/asia/15487-fijis-nadi-airport-expansion-gets-going.html].