With Australian airports and brands upgrading to capture travel dollars, what are the best opportunities to tap into the lucrative market?
According to travel retail industry association TFWA, the duty free market could provide new opportunities for watch and jewellery brands.
According to the firm's research, 78% of shoppers buying for themselves purchased a brand they do not usually buy.
Some 40% purchased the brand for the first time and seven in ten buyers had no prior awareness of the brand.
TFWA said this indicated the channel can offer exposure to new audiences.
Only one in two watch and jewellery buyers purchased for themselves, the lowest of all categories, while almost one in every two purchases are for a gift.
TFWA president Erik Juul-Mortensen said more can be done to capture accessories consumers.
“The watches and jewellery category in global duty free and travel retail was valued at $5.7 billion in 2015.
"However the sector needs to do more to turn the very substantial amount of watches and jewellery browsers into buyers as currently about one in seven airport shoppers visit the category but only 5% buy.
"By focusing on improving conversion, the category has plenty of scope to capitalise on the significant opportunity presented by the duty free and travel retail channel.”
The Watches and Jewellery report is part of the TFWA Category Reports series, produced by Counter Intelligence Retail.
It is based on approximately 1,000 shopper interviews conducted at four key airports across the globe. A minimum of 50% of the sample were duty free buyers.