Best Use of Website or Microsite & Best E/M Commerce

In July 2021, Milan Malpensa Airport launched an online luxury brand marketplace for travellers that airport company SEA described as a first for airports in Italy. The Milano Malpensa Boutique portal features about 2,000 products, many at duty free prices, in partnership with travel retailer Dufry. The main purpose of the project was to offer a new service to Malpensa passengers, namely a “dynamic and digital shopping experience that starts before the arrival in the terminal”. It delivers access to a wide range of goods, offers duty free prices to non-EU travellers and allows pre-planning of shopping.

The focus of the user-centric design is on tourists with high purchasing power, fashion experts (with particular attention on Asia, Russia and the USA) and those accustomed to omnichannel experiences. That focus translated into a luxury look and feel of the boutique, structured around leading brands, with cross-device reactivity and a simple booking flow. The elegant style of the content presentation encourages discovery and exploration. Crucially it is led by a mobile-first strategy, and backed by a ‘Where Luxury Takes Place’ campaign. SEA Group said: “The portal is a new and important milestone of the SEA omnichannel strategy. It represents the first access point to the airport’s high-profile offer, targeting the passengers who have the main travel motivation in shopping. It is even more convenient for those travelling to a non-EU destination, who can benefit from duty free prices.”