Lotte Duty Free sales up 25 per cent

Lotte Duty Free has reported a 26 per cent increase in turnover to W5.9 trillion (US$5.1 billion) for last year.

The figures are believed to excludes sales from its overseas airport and downtown outlets (Guam, Indonesia, Tokyo), reports DFNI Online.

For 2015, its sales reached W4.82 trillion, a decline from W4.55 trillion the previous year.

The Mers outbreak hit the retailer, despite it being awarded five-year contracts for two perfumes and cosmetics concessions and a liquor and tobacco concession at Seoul Incheon airport. It also beat off competition for a downtown duty-free shop in Jeju. The disease outbreak chopped off Chinese tourist arrivals to South Korea.

Lotte Duty Free was further dented by the loss of its pivotal World Tower licence to travel retail newcomer Doosan Corporation (Doota Duty Free), but it has since regained the licence and re-opened the store.

Marketing division manager Bo Joon Kim describes it as “one of the most chaotic times” in the group’s history.

Lotte accounted for 48.7 per cent of total Korean duty-free sales last year, which amounted to W12.3 trillion. It started the year by opening its 4396 sqm Korean-style downtown duty-free store in Tokyo.

Other developments included the reopening of its Gimpo airport store in August and the re-launch of its Gimhae airport outlets.