Global premium brands eye increased presence in PH

FILE: Tourism Secretary Wanda Teo. (Photo: Tourism Secretary Wanda Corazon Tulfo-Teo/Facebook)

MANILA — More global premium brands are expected to increase their presence in the Philippines in anticipation of the growth of Chinese tourists in the country, the Department of Tourism (DOT) said Monday.

Tourism Secretary Wanda Teo made this statement after the recently-concluded 2017 Duty-Free and Travel Retail Global Summit held in Cannes, France.

Teo said the Philippines is now in a position to join the ranks of countries whose Duty Free industry is expected to grow by an average of 40 percent in the next decade.

“Bringing in the global premium brands would be an additional incentive to attract more Chinese tourists, particularly the luxury segment,” Teo said in a press statement.

In July this year, China became country’s second-largest tourist market and is projected to overtake the US market as the second largest source of foreign arrivals this year

According to the DOT, Chinese tourists are known to enjoy the outdoor destinations and shopping of premium brands.

Alexandre Callens, general manager for Travel Retail for the Asia Pacific Region of skin care and cosmetics company Clarins said that they will be expanding their presence in the Duty-Free Philippines (DFP) stores after the recent approval of the Visa Upon Arrival (VUA) for Chinese tourists. The company will also be deploying Mandarin speaking sellers.

Herve Ducros, managing director for Travel Retail for the Asia Pacific Region of fashion company Chanel said that the brand is set to open a section in DFP in the first quarter of 2018.

Moreover, Ducros expressed confidence that the Chanel brand will attract the big-spending tourists especially the Chinese tourists.

Joining Teo at the summit were DOT Undersecretary Benito C. Bengzon, Jr., DFP COO Vicente Pelagio Angala, DOT Assistant Secretaries Arlene Mancao and Frederick Alegre.

The Duty-Free and Travel Retail Global Summit is a flagship event of the Tax-Free World Association (TFWA) where thousands of delegates gather for a week of business and networking.

It combines a shop window for premium brands with an experts’ forum and the chance to network with key influencers. This year, 515 companies registered as exhibitors based across 472 stands, an increase of 4.7 percent from 492 in 2016. With Niña Venus-trainee