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International Travel Retail

International Travel Retail

WHSmith are one of the world's leading travel retailers, with a presence in over 30 countries and more than 120 airports around the globe. Our brand is synonymous with the travelling experience, having exposure to millions of international travellers every year.

From the United States to Australia, the Middle East, Asia and Europe, we've welcomed so many new customers since our journey began in London in 1792.

Today, WHSmith is one of the world's leading travel retailers, with a rapidly growing presence across International airports. We are constantly innovating and adapting to ensure our customers receive the best experience possible on their journeys. Whether it's through sourcing the latest tech accessories and bestselling books and magazines in each territory, or through the expansion and distinct style of our US retail business MRG, or the first-class customer experience we provide with InMotion as we open more stores in new markets, we're committed to our future as a global travel retailer.

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WHSmith Life’s Journeys

WHSmith now operate over 640 stores internationally in 30 countries outside the UK. WHSmith North America operate over 320 stores and our Rest of the World business operate over 320 stores across 28 countries in Europe, Asia Pacific, the Middle East and India.

International Travel Retail is a robust retail channel that continues to expand. Air travel is becoming increasingly accessible to more and more people across the world and airlines and airports operators continue to invest in infrastructure to grow capacity and to develop better retail and leisure facilities in airport terminals.

We know that, while it's the destination that matters to our customers, it's the journey that matters to us. We are continually looking for new store locations all over the world into which to grow our business, whilst working hard to guarantee our existing stores are providing outstanding customer service, operating successfully and delivering strong returns.

We are committed to outstanding customer service from world-class stores, providing our customers with an unrivalled offering and reason to shop with us, wherever they are.

WHSmith stores are designed with the customer in mind; clear browsing areas, exceptional product ranges and ease of access all help to ensure our customers receive the best experience possible on their journeys. Whether as a quick stop for a last-minute item or for an extended browse, our customers know they can count on us for all their travel needs.

we are

We use passenger data, airport data and travel trends to continually ensure our offer is forward-facing, and that we remain ahead of the curve in proposition development.

As we enter into new markets around the world, our meticulous attention to detail, highly efficient processes and superior customer offer delivers greater productivity returns than those of our main competitors. Where WHSmith has taken over stores from other news, books and convenience operators in airport locations, the company has a strong record of delivering enhanced returns for its landlord partners, growing sales and average spend per passenger by +25% from the same retail space.

we use

With a presence in over 30 countries and in a wide range of locations to fulfill the needs of customers at different points and times within their journey, we expertly tailor our stores and product ranges to fit with different customer profiles and dwell times in each location. Our global Travel estate operates in:

  • Airports
    Our airport stores are situated in some of the largest airports in the world, including London Heathrow, Singapore Changi, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta, Madrid Barajas and Sydney Airport, and are exposed to millions of passengers every year. Our brands include WHSmith, MRG, InMotion and other speciality retail stores in over 120 airports around the world.
  • Hospitals
    WHSmith has over 130 stores in hospitals across the UK, as well as in Australia, UAE and India.
  • Rail
    We have over 110 stores in rail stations in the UK, Europe, Asia and Australia, including high traffic locations such as the Eurotunnel and Delhi Metro.
  • Resorts and other locations
    Our US business MRG are a leading player in Resorts retail with stores across Las Vegas and a significant amount of expertise. In other locations, WHSmith operate store in bus stations, universities, international malls and workplaces around the world.

As a leading travel retailer, we have established a core brand that is recognised globally for the relevance of our customer offer and our high-quality store designs. Our primary News, Books and Convenience store format keeps reading at the heart of our proposition and focuses on delivering true convenience and providing something for every customer.

When entering new countries or growing in our existing territories, our principle is to “think global, act local”. We apply this principle to all aspects of our business – our approach to our customer offer, our teams, our supplier and partner relationships, our operational processes, finance and governance.

as a leading

We work collaboratively with our landlord and business partners to deliver optimal returns while exceeding the expectations of our customers.

Our acquisition of Marshall Retail Group (MRG) in 2019 has accelerated our growth in the US, the world's largest travel retail market, and enables us to offer landlords a suite of brands and highly customised retail experiences tailored to local customers.

In addition to our world-leading digital accessories brand, InMotion, we have developed a portfolio of successful and specialist brands allowing us to adapt to the demands and requirements of our customers and business partners. We have standalone coffee and convenience-hybrid formats, a specialist book store format (The Bookshop by WHSmith), souvenir stores, Kids toys and books shops (Zoodle), and stationery & gifts stores which we use in travel and high street locations across the world.

we work

In a number of international markets, our stores are operated by local franchise partners. We also have a wholesale business, offering our exclusive WHSmith-designed fashion and core stationery along with other brands and category management solutions available to other retailers and distributors in international markets. We are always interested in hearing from potential local partners and wholesale customers who see an opportunity to work with WHSmith in their market.

To contact our International Travel Retail team or to express an interest in working with WHSmith outside the UK please get in touch with our Business Development team - [email protected].

Brands and Partnered Brands
Brands and Partnered Brands
Innovation
Innovation
UK Travel Retail
UK Travel Retail
UK High Street
UK High Street