From today, passengers passing through Sofia Airport will be able to shop in the largest duty-free store in Bulgaria. It is part of the Swiss chain Avolta and is located just after the security checks. The facility is located on an area of 1,773 square meters and offers dozens of world-famous brands – both for food and beverages, as well as for cosmetics, accessories and others.
The most memorable thing in this branch of the chain, however, is the corner dedicated to Bulgaria, where you can find local specialties and drinks, according to Walter Seib, CEO for Northern, Central and Eastern Europe at Avolta.
The most interesting thing about this site is the corner for Bulgaria, where passengers can really feel and feel it. It was extremely important for us to have a place where we could show Bulgaria and how beautiful it is,” he says.
According to Zaib, most retailers in the world are similar and travelers don’t understand where you are, but “here you understand that you are in Sofia”. In addition to buying local products, passengers passing through Sofia Airport will be able to taste some of them on the spot.
Avolta is one of the largest international brands of duty-free shops. The company operates in 74 countries and over 1,000 locations. It serves 2.3 billion passengers annually and provides employment to over 76,000 people.
Most important to us is the attitude and experience we offer our passengers. We want it to be unique, special and memorable for them,” says Walter Seib.
The contract for the management of the duty-free shops at the airport between Avolta and the concessionaire “SOF Connect” was concluded already in 2022.
We want the best for Sofia, the best for Bulgaria and for our passengers. That’s why we attracted the largest and best chain of duty-free shops in the world,” said Jesus Caballero, CEO of SOF Connect.
In recent years, the number of passengers at the airport has been increasing, noted Deputy Minister of Transport and Communications Anna Natova. For 2023, nearly 7 million people have passed through it.
The reconstruction of the commercial areas will dramatically change the look of the airport and turn it into a modern and attractive European airport,” she believes.
The area with food and drink establishments, which is currently under renovation, is expected to open by Christmas, said Caballero. He assured the attendees that this is just the beginning of the airport’s development and many more projects are planned.
Everything we do is the result of our aspiration to make Sofia Airport equal to others in the region – an airport where passengers have the best experience,” he said.
