SOF Connect, the operator of Sofia Airport, and Avolta, the leading global company providing an excellent travel experience, today opened Bulgaria’s largest duty-free store.The store sets a new benchmark for the airport in Eastern Europe.
The official ceremony was attended by Anna Natova – Deputy Minister of Transport and Communications, Jesús Caballero – CEO of SOF Connect, Emil Georgiev – General Manager Bulgaria at Avolta, Walter Seib – CEO Northern, Central and Eastern Europe at Avolta, Alberto Iglesias – Commercial Director EMEA at Avolta.
All travelers in Terminal 2 will pass through the new 1733 m² retail space, which is located directly after the security control area. A specially dedicated area of almost 200 m² showcases local products to foster a sense of place for travelers, and a “Taste of Sofia” tasting bar offers travelers the chance to try the best local wines and spirits.
Beauty takes center stage with 365 m² of floorspace, and a Victoria’s Secret corner – the brand’s exclusive point of sale in Sofia – is integrated within the area.
“We are delighted to have this brand new and first of a kind Avolta’s duty-free walk-through store as part of our retail offering and it fits perfectly with our ongoing commitment to provide a five-star shopping experience for our passengers.”, said Jesús Caballero at the event.
“We are immensely proud to unveil this new store to travelers. The opening marks a significant milestone in Avolta’s commitment to contribute to transforming Sofia Airport into a five-star facility, where travelers are more than happy to spend time. We would like to thank SOF Connect for the trust they’ve shown in us, and everyone at Avolta that has been involved in bringing this store to life, from the initial store concept, to the efforts of the local team to make all of this happen.”, said Emil Georgiev.
In 2022 SOF Connect and Avolta signed a contract for the operation of the duty-free shops at Sofia Airport for eight and a half years.
Avolta operates in 73 countries and 1,000 locations including airports, motorways, cruises ferries, railway, border shops and downtown. The company’s access to 2.3 billion passengers each year reinforces the power of it’s more than 76,000 people. Avolta is a public company, its shares are traded on the SIX stock exchange in Zurich, Switzerland.
Photos from the event can be downloaded from this link: https://tinyurl.com/aty7c7xm