By Craig Patterson

Toronto’s Pearson International Airport is now home to the world’s first-ever TripAdvisor store, and more are planned for 2018. The retail space is a partnership with Atlanta-based Paradies Lagardère, which operates more than 850 stores and restaurants in 98 airports, globally.

The retail space, located in Pearson Airport’s Terminal 1 Domestic, is as much experiential as it is about the products contained within. In addition to offering travel essentials, the store includes a large, interactive screen that visitors can use to learn more about Toronto and the surrounding area. Customers can access the latest TripAdvisor reviews and traveler photos for nearby hotels, attractions and restaurants.

The Paradies Lagardère/TripAdvisor partnership began in 2016, with a goal of working in partnership on the retail concept which will be expanded to other airports in 2018 such as Raleigh–Durham International Airport (RDU), George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston (IAH), and Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX).

“Paradies Lagardère works with its airport and brand partners to create enhanced customer experiences and stay on the cutting edge of offering innovation and technology,” said Gregg Paradies, president and CEO at Paradies Lagardère. “What’s most exciting about introducing the world’s very first-ever TripAdvisor travelessential store is that we’ve incorporated an interactive tool that’s not only entertaining and fun, but is truly useful in helping travelers. This unique store is a great addition to the Toronto Pearson program and an exciting destination for its guests.”

“We are thrilled to be partnering with Paradies Lagardère and extending the reach of the TripAdvisor brand into the Toronto Pearson International Airport,” said Nicole Brown, Senior Director of Brand Partnerships, TripAdvisor. “The TripAdvisor travel retail store concept allows us to further our mission of helping travelers worldwide plan and book the perfect trip by offering them a convenient way to purchase all the travel essentials, as well as quick access to our more than 570 million reviews and opinions on 7.3 million accommodations, restaurants and attractions via innovative in-store touchscreens.”

*(Rendering of the Raleigh–Durham International Airport location)*

Paradies Lagardère specializes in three key airport concessions areas: Food and Beverage, Travel Essentials and Specialty Retail. Within Travel Essentials and Specialty Retail, the company offers a mix of categories including fashion, luxury, electronics, convenience, sports, luggage, jewelry, and souvenirs. The company has won a few awards recently — it was recognized for excellence in specialty retail, earning ARN Awards for Best Specialty Retail Brand Operator for its Brooks Brothers concept stores, and Best Airport Retail Store Design for its Dylan’s Candy Bar location at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport.

TripAdvisor is the world’s largest travel website with more than 570 million reviews and opinions covering the world's largest selection of travel listings worldwide — that includes 7.3 million accommodations, airlines, attractions, and restaurants. TripAdvisor also compares prices from more than 200 hotel booking sites, with TripAdvisor-branded sites being available in 49 markets with a whopping 455 million monthly unique visitors.

Photos of the new Pearson Airport TripAdvisor retail space are courtesy of Paradies Lagardère.

Craig Patterson, now based in Toronto, is the founder and Editor-in-Chief Retail Insider. He's also a retail and real estate consultant, retail tour guide and public speaker.

Follow him on Twitter @RetailInsider_, LinkedIn at Craig Patterson, or email him at: craig@retail-insider.com.

For more of today's retail news: Canadian Retail News From Around The Web: January 2, 2018