"Singapore airport shops' business near pre-Sars level"

Friday, August 22, 2003

Airport shops' business near pre-Sars level 
By Alexis Hooi 
Singapore - The Straits Times


BUSINESS at more than 80 shops in Changi Airport's transit lounges is
climbing back to pre-Sars levels. Riding on improving passenger traffic,
which has gone from a dismal 40,000 travellers daily during the height of
the Sars scourge to about 70,000, airport retailers are hopeful of a
complete recovery soon.

A three-day sale that started yesterday could be just what they need.
Passengers need only produce their boarding pass to enjoy discounts of up to
80 per cent for more than 130 items such as liquor, cosmetics and sporting
goods. For example, a Cartier perfume set, which usually goes for $95, will
cost $20; and for $1, you can get a cappuccino caffeine fix that usually
costs $3.20 at the O'Briens coffee stand.

The mega-sale formula has worked well for airport retailers in the past.
During an airport-wide sale in June, business in general had already gone up
86 per cent compared to the Sars period in April and May, said Miss Goh Hwai
Kar, 26, commercial manager of the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore.

For one retailer - the Subway sandwich chain in Terminal 2 - this weekend's
sale signals the full recovery from Sars. Said Mr Roland Kiew, 45, managing
director of Choison Enterprises, which owns the outlet: 'We're definitely
back to pre-Sars levels, or at least 90 per cent there. This sale is sort of
like a finale to put Sars behind us.'

For others, it means more than just recovering. Mr Ken Tse, general manager
of cosmetics company Nuance-Watson, said the store is experiencing
double-digit growth from last year following its move to a slightly bigger
site in the airport. Said Mr Tse: 'Since we opened our new store on Aug 4,
sales have continued to grow 10 to 20 per cent.'

For Indonesian Ida Widjojo, 45, it meant just one thing - great buys. Said
the frequent shopper, who travels between Singapore and Jakarta almost
monthly: 'Things here are already cheaper by about 30 per cent compared to
town and Jakarta...It's great.'


 Do you have an opinion about this story?
Share it with other readers in our CAA Discussion Forums

http://www.californiaaviation.org/dc/dcboard.php

*****************************************