Decathlon has opened its first airport store in Europe at Geneva Airport (GVA), in Switzerland. The store offers a targeted selection of essential sports equipment, travel accessories, and seasonal items: from lightweight technical clothing to sunglasses, sunscreen, water bottles, small sports bags, and electronic devices for hiking.
To meet the tight schedules of passengers and the variability of flight times, Decathlon Switzerland has implemented a Click & Collect service based on connected lockers accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. In this way, travelers can order products online and pick them up at any time, even in the middle of the night.
“The opening of this store at Geneva Airport is a source of immense pride and is at the heart of our proximity strategy pursued in recent years”, stated Thomas Dezillie, marketing and communication director of Decathlon Switzerland. “It is the first time in Europe that a Decathlon store is established in an airport. The Geneva team has designed this 150 sqm format to precisely meet the needs of Swiss residents and travelers: from last-minute ‘smart convenience’ purchases to order pick-ups at any time of the night thanks to our 24/7 lockers. We bring sports closer to everyone’s daily life, even while traveling.”
Kristina Mees, commercial and development director of Geneva Airport, also expressed satisfaction with the partnership: “With the arrival of Decathlon, Geneva Airport strengthens the diversity and quality of its commercial offer for the benefit of passengers, visitors, and airport employees. This concept, unprecedented in Europe, illustrates our desire to develop useful, accessible services tailored to new usage habits, while consolidating the commercial attractiveness of the airport.”
Decathlon also operates other stores within two airports: at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad (India) and at Faaa International Airport in Tahiti.