Skopje International Airport in North Macedonia has welcomed a newly renovated duty free shop from ATÜ Duty Free, the TAV Airports Holding and Unifree Duty Free/Gebr. Heinemann joint venture.

The expanded 326sq m store located in the departures area houses a variety of new brands such as Armani, Prada, Buckley, Fossil, Tommy Hilfiger, Travel Blue, Cartier, Narciso Rodriguez, Tom Ford and Tikiri Toys.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony in recent days gathered guests from the likes of ATÜ Duty Free and TAV Airports, who were joined by North Macedonia’s Minister of Transport and Communications Blagoj Bochvarski.

To mark the occasion, the first passenger to enter the shop was presented with a gift from the widened merchandise assortment.

Close to €500m investment

ATÜ Duty Free CEO Ersan Arcan said: “We are happy to contribute to the development of North Macedonia’s civil aviation and tourism with our store investments and expanded operation in Skopje and Ohrid Airports. We have invested approximately one million Euros in North Macedonia so far.

“We have completed the expansion project with an investment of nearly half a million Euros for the increasing number of passengers, the demand in duty free shops and our expanding operation in line with the future projection we have built for North Macedonia.

“Our new main duty free store at Skopje Airport will continue to offer passengers a unique shopping experience with a wide range of products including local products, along with world-renowned elite brands […].”

During the grand opening of the store, Bochvarski pointed out that Skopje International Airport is the first point of contact for passengers visiting North Macedonia and praised the shop investment as raising the bar for passenger services.

Metin Batak, TAV Macedonia General Manager, added: “We believe that this new duty free shop adds value to the passengers’ experience and benefits while travelling through Skopje International Airport.

“Our estimated passengers and clients will have the privilege and advantage to enjoy their unique duty free retail shopping experience at this concept store.

“We are at the same time delighted for ATÜ and their major investment in this new shop and extensive duty free portfolio, which is now further enhancing the travel retail shopping experience at Skopje Airport.”

ATÜ Duty Free has enjoyed a foothold at Macedonia’s Skopje and Ohrid St. Paul The Apostle Airports since 2010, with the travel retailer’s duty free operations enjoying notable growth over the years.

In addition to the duty free unit at Skopje Airport, ATÜ Duty Free operates a 32sq m Macedonian wines store where travellers can indulge in a selection of local and regional products, and a 50sq m duty free shop at Ohrid St. Paul the Apostle Airport.

The Turkish travel retailer runs in excess of 110 shops across 20 airports and one cruise port in six countries over three continents.

Aside its stronghold market in Turkey, where it has airport operations at Istanbul, Ankara Esenboğa, Izmir Adnan Menderes, Gazipaşa Alanya and Milas Bodrum, it boasts an established presence in the likes of Georgia and Tunisia.