2012-09-18 — /travelprnews.com/ — The selection of retail outlets at Terminal 2 of Budapest Airport is set to be enhanced and expanded.
The recently completed internal refurbishment of Terminals 2A and 2B enabled the airport operator to add new shops and to introduce brands not available previously in Hungary. The new outlets will include jewelry and bijou brands, electronics and travel accessory stores, sunglass and cosmetics shops.
Passengers due to depart from Budapest Airport during the next few weeks will experience great changes as new shops will be opening in September and October in the transit area of Terminal 2A, one after the other. Tell-tale trade signs have appeared in several places behind the screens, indicating the imminent opening of outlets offering jewelry, electronics or cosmetics. Passengers will thus experience a truly international airport environment en route to their boarding gates in Terminal 2A from the SkyCourt.
Hungarian-owned chain PlayersRoom was the first in line, opening its second airport shop at the end of July. The company, which sells shoes, clothing and sports equipment, already operates an outlet at the SkyCourt. The Sunglass Center & Watch Corner due to open in mid-October will be familiar to many from large shopping centers in Hungary. Sunglasses may well prove popular throughout the charter season during the fall and winter months as holiday-makers target the sunny beaches in the Mediterranean and North Africa.
Budapest Airport will serve as the location of the first Virgin store in Hungary offering travel accessories and consumer electronics, with the primary focus on electronic equipment for travelers. The opening of the Virgin store is all the more important as this group of products has so far been missing from the retail mix at the airport. The outlet will be ready to welcome customers as of 10 September.
The selection of shops at Terminal 2 will also be enhanced with two special jewelry stores. Another brand making its debut in Hungary is Michal Negrin, a chain conceived and launched by an Israeli couple nearly 25 years ago, which offers jewelry, fashion, home décor and accessories designed to convey a unique atmosphere. The products on sale in Michal Negrin shops present a world of colorful fantasy, the likes of which have not been previously available at the airport. American chain Bijoux Terner has more than 700 retail locations worldwide, but is also opening its first outlet in Hungary, offering fashion, watches and jewelry. The company will bring to Budapest its globally successful business model, as part of which all products will have a standard price of just 15 euros.
Another popular brand arriving at the terminal in September is Yves Rocher, the French cosmetics and beauty company built on natural ingredients, which will open a monobrand store at the airport. The outlet will be the first in the world to implement the latest Yves Rocher concept of offering products and packs tailored specifically to the needs of travelers. In practice this will mean that, in addition to the regular selection of products, cosmetics will also be available in 100 ml packaging, the largest quantity permitted in hand baggage at airports.
“The opening of the SkyCourt last spring fundamentally transformed the retail mix on offer at the airport,” said Alan Bork, director consumer for Budapest Airport. “A whole host of shops offering global brands and the best Hungarian products appeared at the terminal, whilst the food and beverage selection became much more colorful and better value for money. Now that all passengers at Budapest Airport use Terminal 2, it was all the more important to further enhance and expand the range of outlets, in line with the changing needs and habits of the traveling public,” he added.
Budapest Airport began the internal refurbishment of the older Terminal 2A and 2B sections after the handover of the SkyCourt last March. The project was successfully completed this summer, and tenants were then able to take possession of the new retail outlets for fit-out works. Passengers now experience a standard level of service and comfort throughout the terminal, irrespective of whether they are departing for Schengen or non-Schengen destinations.
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