Duty Free Luxe generates P4.1 million sales in first week

MANILA, Philippines — State-run Duty Free Philippines Corp. (DFPC) said it registered robust sales during the first week of its luxury store’s soft opening earlier this month.

In a statement, DFPC said it generated over P4.1 million in total sales on Duty Free Luxe’s soft opening from Oct. 17 to 24.

“This is a good indication of Duty Free Luxe’s robust sales performance until the holiday season,” DFPC chief operating officer Vicente Angala said.

“We are optimistic that sales performance will continue to rise when we do our grand opening in the first quarter of 2019 and as we develop the store’s awareness to the public,” Angala said.

Duty Free Luxe is a 3,000-square meter multi-level outlet at SM Mall of Asia complex in Pasay City.

“The primary strategy is to develop Duty Free Luxe as the most convenient and cost-effective luxury store available for the numerous Southeast Asian tourists who flock to the country looking for good bargains for luxury brands,” DFPC said.

It added that the new upscale shopping environment will set a standard for the affluent market especially in Southeast Asian countries.

“The international travelers market, especially the foreign tourists and tour groups who will be visiting the MOA complex, will enjoy the store’s extensive line-up of popular luxury fashion labels like Coach, Bally, Longchamp, Kate Spade, Michael Kors and famous fragrance and cosmetic brands such as Chanel, Estee Lauder, La Mer, La Prairie, Clarins, Mac, Dior, Lancome, Laneige, Bobbi Brown, Tom Ford, Jo Malone, Sulwhasoo, Shiseido and Korean label K Beauty, among others,” the agency earlier said.

While the new outlet offers international luxury brands, Angala said the store would also feature local products, as it houses a Go Lokal shop, an initiative of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).

“Our primary goal is to set the standard of bringing imported luxury items and export quality Philippine local products for our balikbayans and foreign tourists,” Angala said.

DFPC is the sole operator of duty and tax-free merchandising system in the Philippines. It operates duty and tax-free stores at international airports and seaports, selected hotels, tourist resorts, and commercial or trading centers throughout the country.

The agency said it remains true to its mandate of catering to the shopping needs of international travelers despite the proliferation of other retailers carrying imported goods and the growth of online shopping.

It added that store development and brand expansion efforts are among its current priorities.

“All these efforts are geared to further enhance the tourism attached agency’s retail presence to augment revenues and continually contribute to government’s tourism programs and projects,” DFPC said.

DFPC earlier opened a bigger arrival shop at NAIA Terminal 3.

The first duty free outlet was established at the arrival area of NAIA on May 2,1987, offering liquor, tobacco, fragrances and confectionery.

The departure shops at NAIA became operational after a month and a third outlet was opened at the Mactan International Airport in Cebu by the end of 1987. The Manila Hotel and Manila Garden Order Centers were added in 1988.

The first off-airport shop, the Fiesta Shopping Center, opened in 1989. It was an 8,000 sqm facility located across NAIA and was the country’s biggest duty free store then.

Fiestamall, DFPC’s flagship store, opened in 1997. It was built on a five-hectare lot, boasting of a 24,000 sqm meter selling area and state-of-the-art facilities.