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Business

Indian duty free shops wake up

By: Karthik :+: Under: Business, Culture, Desi Ishtyle
On: ⋅ September 15, 2007 ⋅  Email this post ⋅  Print this post ⋅ Post a comment
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Bitten by the travel bug for quiet a few years, It was amazing to see countries promoting the best products it had in the duty free stores. Beer mugs and soccer memorabilia in Munich and replicas of the Eiffel tower and West cigarettes in Paris always caught my attention. Then came India where the shelves were stocked with ‘imported’ brands.

Finally someone figured that they had got it all wrong.

In fact, it is the ‘Made in India’ label, which is ringing bells at the cashbox. Items such as Indian beedi, tea and country liquour is the new fad among those splurging at duty free shops. So, out goes Blue label, Louis Vuitton and in comes desi brands such as Khwaja beedi, and Old Monk (Rum).

Now I will not have a problem when I ask my teetotaler brother to get me some Old Monk, because he does not have to go to the liquor store, stand in line and pay extra when he can pick it up at the airport on his way back.

According to experts, after the formation of European Union, the concept of duty-free shopping has undergone a tremendous change in the West. “It’s more about cashing in on the local flavour. Also, those visiting a foreign destination will like to take a souvenir to mark their journey, and if you can do it at the airport nothing can be more convenient,” explains Arvind Singhal, chairman, Technopak Advisors, a leading retail consultancy firm.

With phoren tourists flocking India in the near future, the retailers seem to have finally figured out the trick. Better late than never.

So who is going to India soon?

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