Duty Free Border Downtown | The Westfield Group

Travel Retail Operators

The Westfield Group

The Westfied Group is not ostensibly a Travel Retailer, but this Australian property company have indirectly become a major landlord for Tax-Free shopping stores, especially in The United Kingdom and USA. In mid-2013 Westfield took over the management of the retail areas in the new Los Angeles International airport terminal, licensing space to major brands, whilst in the UK there are two Westfield Malls in London, both of which accommodate retailers who feature the tax-free shopping refund scheme for foreign visitors.

There are two types of Tax-Free shopping, firstly in airports where the prices already feature the tax reduction because the goods are instantly exported from the country and the other is the downtown refund scheme, where foreign visitors can buy, but they have to reclaim the sales tax at the airport on departure.

There are different advantages to each type of scheme: with tax-refund you get a better range of goods and many different shops, but you have the complexity of obtaining the refund, but at stores within the airport you pay the lower price and can take the goods straight away with you. Much depends on what you want to buy and the complexity of carrying it home and it is wise to check both methods and the different prices before you buy.

The duty free on arrival global search 'App' for phone and tablet is now available in Android version beta v1, we are working hard to make it the best travel shopping site and mobile App available, the Apple/iOS version will follow soon. You will be able to search the globe from your phone for duty-free shops at your destination, on planes, boats, airports or border stores. To download the app click the image below to check before you fly!