Value, exclusivity & strategic growth key to future of 3Sixty Duty Free

By Benedict Evans | Tuesday, 11 March 2025 10:24

Alexander Anson, Chief Operating Officer for 3Sixty Duty Free, said the business is focused on strategic growth over growth for its own sake.

Alexander Anson, Chief Operating Officer for 3Sixty Duty Free unpacks the company’s strategy on capturing concessions and elevating the travel retail experience, as it expands in Latin America and seeks targeted growth across its entire US portfolio.

Inarguably the biggest move made by 3Sixty Duty Free (3Sixty) in 2024 was its capture of a seven- year lease at Newark Liberty Airport Terminal B, where it will operate six stores spanning 7,459 sq ft. Won amidst the charting of a new strategic direction from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) via its EWR Vision Plan, 3Sixty Duty Free is hoping to benefit from the transformative overhaul.

Alexander Anson, Chief Operating Officer for 3Sixty, said of the development: “Newark Liberty International Airport is a critical hub in the US and a flagship location. We are honoured to have been selected to operate the duty free business in Terminal B, which underscores 3Sixty’s commitment to elevating the travel retail experience in key global airports.” He added: “The refurbishment project is progressing as planned, and we anticipate unveiling the first refurbished stores later this year.”

Expanding in the Americas these stores will add a 14th travel hub to 3Sixty’s growing footprint of cruise and airport store locations across the Americas, building on its March 2024 entry into Mexico’s newest aviation hub, Tulum International Airport, as well as the awarding of a new airport concession in Pereira, Colombia. In late 2023, the omni-channel travel retailer struck a five-year deal with Portuario Aeropuerto Matecaña (OPAM) to upgrade the duty free shopping footprint at Matecaña International Airport.

Anson commented: “3Sixty remains focused on expanding its footprint across the Americas, as demonstrated by our successful entry into Tulum, Mexico, and the award of a new airport concession in Pereira, Colombia, last year. We continue to evaluate strategic opportunities for growth across all regions to strengthen our presence and operations.”

Alexander Anson, Chief Operating Officer for 3Sixty Duty Free.

Tuned-in to the consumer

Alongside its North America operations – which extend from Ottawa to Dallas Fort Worth – Latin America has quickly become a focal point for 3Sixty, where Anson said it has seen good growth in traffic and overall sales.

Reflecting on 2024, he added: “3Sixty Duty Free continues to perform in line with industry trends, reflecting the resilience and adaptability of our business in an evolving market. When we refer to our performance following industry trends, what we are saying is that we have benefited from the same positive traffic evolution in the Americas whilst seeing softening consumer sentiment.”

When asked about 3Sixty’s overarching strategy in capturing such concessions and the principles by which the business continues to operate as it expands strategically, he commented: “Our strategy centres on being excellent operators. We aim to meet the diverse needs of key passenger groups by offering a blend of value, exclusivity, and memorable experiences. By staying attuned to evolving customer preferences, we’re well-positioned to drive spend and conversion across regions.

“3Sixty’s priority isn’t market share; rather, it’s about operating a well- run business that delivers exceptional experiences to passengers and stakeholders. We continue to expand strategically where it aligns with our vision, ensuring our footprint spans regions and channels in a sustainable way.”

Inclusive of this strategy is its inflight operations, which “We aim to meet the diverse needs of key passenger groups by offering a blend of value, exclusivity, and memorable experiences. By staying attuned to evolving customer preferences, we’re well-positioned to drive spend and conversion across regions.”

Alexander Anson, 3Sixty Duty Free aim to integrate customer understanding with digital solutions, traditional retail and customer data to ‘develop personalised solutions, offers, and services to best meet the needs of the evolving customers.’

On future developments, Anson said: “We remain committed to investing in IT resources to advance our omnichannel strategy and are actively exploring AI tools to enhance our operational efficiencies and customer experience.”

To access the full article in the TRBusiness March e-zine, click here.

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