The Asia Pacific Travel Retail Association (APTRA) is calling on governments in over 45 countries across the region to support 320,000 local and front-line employees in the region by including the duty-free and travel retail industry in the same financial support packages as airlines, airports and maritime industries.
Over 320,000 local jobs across the Asia Pacific region and a USD 36 billion industry are at risk of being overlooked by politicians as they devise financial rescue measures to cope with the Covid-19 crisis.
Airport retail and commercial services, including food and beverage, constitute a crucial business sector providing up to 60% vital commercial income for airport owners, outpacing aeronautical revenue streams. It is the most significant direct contributor to the investment in Asia-Pacific’s aviation infrastructure and ongoing development of world-class national gateways, the region’s hubs to the world.
Grant Fleming, president of APTRA said: “The dynamics of duty-free and travel retailing are intrinsically linked to the aviation and maritime industries, and its viability is entirely dependent on the return in passenger traffic.”
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