Dufry-owned Hellenic Duty Free Shops (HDFS) has inaugurated its new duty free shops in the refurbished Heraklion Nikos Kazantzakis International Airport.

Following the airport refurbishment, all commercial areas of the duty free shops were relocated from the first to the ground floor, without changing the size of the total surface area.

The shops were designed as walkthrough concepts and form part of Dufry’s global plan to offer customers a ‘world-class’ experience.

They offer a wide a selection of duty free and duty paid products, reflect local culture and have ‘flagship qualities’ reminiscent of other Dufry outlets worldwide.

PRODUCT ASSORTMENT

Available items include traditional Greek food products, alcohol and spirits, tobacco, a large collection of luxury products and accessories and leading perfumes and cosmetics brands.

Travellers are also offered a final taste of Greece and daily treats – significant space is allocated to Cretan food and beverage products.

A strong emphasis is placed on staff training to ensure optimum product knowledge and that they are proud of the Greek produce.

According to HDFS, which has been running shops at the airport since 1979, the refurbishment, extension and modernisation was financed entirely by them. The aim was to help offer an optimum service to the growing number of passengers travelling to the island of Crete.

The airport refurbishment was realised by HDFS in cooperation with the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transportation, Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority and Airport Commander of Heraklion.

It includes the new 2,895sq m departure area on the ground floor, 585sq m departure area in the sheltered area of the basement and 11 departure gates – nine on the ground floor and two on the first floor. Lifts were installed at all exits.

Additionally, the old departures areas, spanning around 8,000sq m were restored featuring new duty free shops covering 2,054sq m.

At the same time, four VIP lounges were implemented, two in the Extra Schengen area and two in the Intra Schengen area; all food and beverage shops were refurbished and a new ventilation system was installed in the new extension, along with new fire-fighting equipment.

PROJECT AIMS

This project is not only an update of the airport building facilities, but of the entire electrical and mechanical facilities. This is to accommodate an increasing number of travellers at the facility, managed by the Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority and Greek State.

HDFS CEO George Velentzas said: “This whole investment undertaken by our company was realised in 165 days and constituted the successful expression of the partnership comprising a private initiative with the Greek State.

“We shall not end here and move on to more investments.”

Velentzas added: “We are in a location that best describes the meaning of European Greece and where cleanliness, respect, smile, order, kindness and [nice] style coexist.

“These are the elements that make even the most ‘demanding’ Greek adapt to the environment and feel great. We believe our shops contribute to this environment and image.”

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Development Yiannis Dragasakis commented: “The work we are launching today gives a significant breath to a chronic problem. Heraklion Airport has long exhausted its limits.

“With the adjustments and extensions that have been made, along with the ones that will follow in the surrounding area, the airport’s functionality will be significantly improved in order to respond to the growing needs of passengers in a better, more modern and efficient way.”

Referring to a ‘double objective’ he added: “On the one hand, we want to highlight the fact that even under difficult conditions there can be solutions when there is will, planning and cooperation.

“On the other, we want to emphasise the importance the government attaches to both Crete and the Greek region in general.

“Now that the country is finally coming out of memorandums and hard supervision, planning and implementing development is our sole responsibility.”

Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Christos Spirtzis concluded: “The modern refurbished airport will give new growth impetus to the infrastructure of Crete until the airport in Kastelli is built and operational.

“I would like to thank from my heart the CEO of Hellenic Duty Free Shops Giorgos Velentzas, for his constant effort to provide quality services and products to the country’s airports.

“They transformed a saturated airport into a jewel building, which is an example to be imitated. It shows that even in an era of harsh fiscal austerity imposed in the country, healthy productive forces can achieve miracles.”

The airport is expected to handle eight million passengers in 2018, of which four million will be outbound and four million inbound.