Sydney Airport recently announced a major transformation of the passenger experience in T1 departures. WHSmith has now been announced as the new travel essentials retail operator, with six major retail outlets set to open, offering passengers an enhanced service for all their journey essentials.
The arrival of WHSmith follows a competitive tender process that sought the most impressive player in the travel essentials category with the greatest service offering to deliver a unique retail experience for passengers and visitors to T1.
The new larger format stores within T1 will introduce highly personalised product zones and feature a number of external ‘store-in-store’ concepts from major brands, ensuring a wider range of products are available, within a space that enhances the overall passenger experience.
“This is a real evolution from the traditional ‘books and news’ operations and introduces a reinvigorated range of must-have travel product essentials, that make every journey easier in a convenient one-stop shop,” Sydney Airport General Manager, Retail Glyn Williams said.
“WHSmith is one of the world’s largest and most successful retail operators of travel essentials and we are looking forward to a successful partnership across the six locations in the T1 terminal.”
WHSmith Australia CEO Paul Yardley said: “We are delighted to announce our new concept stores at Sydney Airport’s T1 as we continue to invest in creating market-leading retail experiences. This underscores our commitment to the Australian travel retail industry and our growth ambitions in this market.”
The transformation of T1 began in January, with works to be staged over the next year-and-a-half in order for Sydney Airport to create a new world-class airport experience. The upgrades will deliver faster access and improved wayfinding to airline gates, more seating capacity, wider walkways and enhanced terminal ambience.
Mr Williams added that further announcements on new retail, food and dining partners at T1 will be made over the coming months.
Source: Sydney Airport media release.