Duty-Free Store Not Just for International Travelers

(Photos and video by Beth Hollerich)

Duty-free stores are a staple of airports around the world, places for international travelers to buy products without worrying about excise taxes and other surcharges that vary from country to country.

But behind every shop is a strategy on what to sell, tailored closely to where the airport’s international flights are headed.

“We looked at passengers from seven different countries and we identified the top products that they purchase,” said Kim Kitko, vice president of business development at Pittsburgh International Airport.

For example, passengers from the U.K. seem to like tobacco products – specifically, Marlboro and Benson & Hedges – as well as fragrances like Dior, Clarins and Bvlgari. Canadians, who account for nearly half of the international travelers at PIT, love Grey Goose vodka and Crown Royal whiskey. Chinese passengers go for cosmetics first, such as Lancome and Estee Lauder.

In some airports, the duty-free stores are in areas accessible only to people flying to or from other nations. But at PIT, a new 3,500-square-foot store in the Center Core. dubbed The Galleria Duty Free/Duty Paid, opens this week for everyone.

“We wanted it in the Center Core to emphasize our focus on the international market and the growth opportunities there,” Kitko said. “But we also wanted this great product offering available to all domestic passengers as well.”