BOARDING GATE, a Singapore-based concept store meant to consolidate everyone’s travel needs under one roof and features luggage that is “born damaged” and other travel accessories, held its official launch more than six months after opening its Philippine branch at Robinsons Place Manila.
Boarding Gate, created by travel goods distributor Seager, Inc., currently has five branches in Singapore, and one each in the Philippines and Brunei. “The concept started in 2013… we had our first store in Isetan Westgate [in Singapore],” Dej Escasa, senior frontline merchandising executive of Seager, told reporters during the launch on April 18, at Robinsons Place Manila. The Boarding Gate store in Robinsons Manila is their first outside Singapore.
They “wanted to take in the feel of the market” and “perfect the whole place with all the merchandise,” he said, thus the delayed launch.
The store includes three categories of merchandise: Party, Adventure and Getaway, with the store said to help “organizing your needs without compromising style,” according to a company press release.
“[People travel every day] — they go to work, so what do they need? A bag? A wallet? It’s there. If you’re traveling more, then there are backpacks, luggage,” said Mr. Escasa.
Among the brands the store carries are BG Berlin bags and Venque Backpacks, O2COOL water bottles (including spray bottles to keep one cool), Cabeau (accessories such as neck pillows and travel adaptors), and Crash Hardshell Trolleys among others.
“It seems like the only thing that Boarding Gate doesn’t have is a pen that turns into an inflatable raft,” said the cheeky press release.
Mr. Escasa said that their target is the mid-market segment, “especially the young professionals who just want to travel.”
“Not all [products available in Singapore is available in the Philippines]… as we like to localize,” he said before adding that being a Filipino himself, he knew the needs of this market, such as backpacks.
The Philippine store carries 15 brands, with more coming as the store will introduce new products every six months. The Seager brand is the distributor of an estimated 200 brands, Mr. Escasa pointed out.
The brand plans to expand to more Southeast Asian countries such as Vietnam and Malaysia before 2016 ends, he said, though he demurred from divulging how many Boarding Gate stores are set to open in Philippines. He did say that the brand is eyeing stores in locations with airports such as Cebu.
The store is located at Level 2 of the Pedro Gil Wing Robinsons Place Manila. — Zsarlene B. Chua
