UK Retailer WHSmith to Operate at Athens Airport

WHSmith, one of the UK’s leading retailers, has been awarded a five-year contract for seven stores at Athens International Airport (AIA) in partnership with Miller Distributors, according to a recent announcement. The contract, which marks WHSmith’s entry into the Greek market, extends the partnership that is already in place between the two companies in Malta.

WHSmith provides travellers with a one-stop-shop solution ahead of their flight; offering a wide range of reading materials, travel accessories, confectionery and drinks. The stores in Athens Airport will include Greek and international newspapers, souvenirs, digital accessories and travel essentials.

“Securing the contract for the stores in Athens is another key milestone in our European development strategy. It follows recent contract wins in Alicante Airport and Dusseldorf airport”, WHSmith International chairman Louis de Bourgoing said.

The stores at AIA are planned to open by next Easter for the start of the 2017 tourist season.

“This an exciting development for our retail business”, Miller Distributors Ltd Chief Executive Officer Malcolm Miller said. “With the strong upturn in tourism in Greece and the gradual improvement in the economy, these stores will offer customers an improved experience in travel retail, both in range and presentation.”

WHSmith currently operates over 1,300 stores worldwide, with over 700 stores in travel locations, including over 160 units in around 50 airports such as Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Dublin, Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Muscat, Amman, Kuwait, Melbourne, Sydney and Kuala Lumpur.