Filip Soete, Chief Commercial Officer, Nice Côte d’Azur Airport: “We have started work on the 3,000sqm extension to the central airside commercial area in Terminal 2. We hope to have it delivered in July and open the first shops in August. The whole project will be complete in May 2017.”
The Côte d’Azur is truly a blue chip destination, a fact that resonates throughout the comprehensive rejuvenation of Nice Airport’s commercial offer. With the Terminal 1 refurbishment to be complete in May, and work already underway on Terminal 2, Filip Soete, Chief Commercial Officer, Nice Côte d’Azur Airport, discussed developments with Ross Falconer.
When thinking of the Côte d’Azur, the images that immediately spring to mind are of a postcard-perfect Mediterranean coastline, pristine beaches, and luxurious boutiques. Reflecting this, through a sense of place, and a taste of the Riviera, is at the heart of Nice Côte d’Azur Airport’s new commercial offer.
Urbane travellers are already experiencing this. Several new outlets have opened in Terminal 1, with its redevelopment to finish in May, while the Terminal 2 renovation is underway and will be complete a year later, in May 2017.
It is worth, at this point, noting the key figures behind the €45 million commercial investment: 11,000sqm in Terminal 1 are being impacted by the revamp, which is seeing retail space grow by 160%, lounges by 70% and seating spaces by 60%. In Terminal 2, meanwhile, 23,000sqm is being updated, with 110% more commercial space, 90% more seating and lounges doubled in size.
Filip Soete, Chief Commercial Officer, Nice Côte d’Azur Airport, is the man driving these developments. “Our vision is to deliver the most surprising commercial experience in a European airport, with a real sense of place and local brands to create that surprising effect,” he enthuses. “We want to be a little bit different and that was a goal throughout the tender process.”
The commercial experience is thoroughly in keeping with the character of the Côte d’Azur. Alongside the upscale, luxury brands, the desire is for the airport to serve as a showcase for local and niche brands.
Among the most hotly anticipated openings was the airport’s first walkthrough duty free store, which opened last October in partnership with Aelia. Soete reports that this has generated an increase in revenues of about 40%: “It is completely in line with our expectations and passengers are very satisfied with the new offer.” An experiential element is central to the walkthrough store – examples so far include a Fragonard area where travellers can make their own perfume, a relaxing spa area, and even a jet ski simulator.
“A destination airport”
Nice Côte d’Azur Airport’s first walkthrough duty free store opened last October in partnership with Aelia. It has reportedly generated an increase in revenues of about 40%.
The core offering consists of four categories – Riviera essentials, French essentials, trendsetting essentials, and airport essentials – an approach encompassing entry level offers right up to the leading luxury brands.
The tender process for both terminals was undertaken simultaneously, with four key operators selected as partners: Aelia for alcohol, tobacco and fragrances; Dufry for fashion; and Relay and SSP for food & beverages.
“The successful tender participants won, not because they made the best financial offer, but because they were the closest to the airport’s vision,” Soete asserts. “Nice Côte d’Azur is a destination airport and it is very important for the commercial offer to have a link with the history and image of the Riviera.”
Following the opening of Aelia’s walkthrough store, recent openings include Pret à Manger’s first outlet in a French airport, French grocery Saveurs de Provence, and Fragonard’s first airport boutique.
Soete enthuses about the true taste of the Riviera in the F&B offer, including Chez Pipo’s first airport restaurant – “a real institution in Nice through the generations, famous for its ‘socca’ made from chickpea flour”; and La Tarte Tropézienne – a famous patisserie from St Tropez. “Everything you find on the Côte d’Azur, we would like to have at the airport,” Soete comments. “For example, two Michelin-starred chef Mauro Colagreco will open his first airport restaurant – L’Estivale – in Terminal 2.”
A sense of place is being created in Terminal 1 with the airport’s first beach bar – La Plage de Thierry Marx, which is the creation of two Michelin-star French chef Thierry Marx. The space combines a lounge, dining area, bar, and play area for children, complete with real sand and slides between its two levels.
Significant Terminal 1 openings in March included the airport’s first beach bar – La Plage de Thierry Marx, which is the creation of two Michelin-star French chef Thierry Marx. The space combines a lounge, dining area, bar, and play area for children, complete with real sand and slides between its two levels. “It is inspired by Riviera venues like Nikki Beach Club and adds a genuine beach chic to the airport,” Soete explains.
Meanwhile, the new fashion area featuring the likes of Longchamp and Max Mara also opened in March, and the luxury area, with brands including Baccarat, Hermès and Versace, opens in May.
A “quantum leap” for the Riviera’s gateway
Two Michelin-starred chef Mauro Colagreco will open his first airport restaurant – L’Estivale – in Terminal 2. The restaurant will be a modern, yet rustic environment.
In a further sign of the airport’s progressive approach, it recently launched a new multifunctional app, which leverages beacon technology to push relevant retail information and offers to passengers. Launched to coincide with the commercial renovation, the app allows Nice Côte d’Azur Airport to offer a highly tailored experience to today’s connected travellers, particularly frequent flyers.
Soete describes the whole commercial project as a “quantum leap” for the Riviera’s gateway. “When people are departing from Nice the airport is the last thing they see of the French Riviera, so we want that to stay with them until the moment they board,” he says. “For them to say, ‘It was great, and even at the airport it was great because I experienced it to the last moment. And maybe next time when I come back I will come to the airport 15 minutes earlier because of these things.’ If we can do that, I think we’ve won everything.”
There is a clear sense of individuality to the new commercial offer, and it is one that will truly leave travellers with a lasting memory of the Côte d’Azur. It is an offer that is at times surprising, while being entirely contemporary and loyal to the locality – the French Riviera.
