The 9th of September it is official opening of Stena Lines new Bordershop in Ventspils, as another step in Stena Line strategy to offer its customers value for money products. Bordershops, selling cheap alcohol products is a very attractive concept for Swedish travelers and the aim is to increase the interest for them to visit Latvia.
“Ventspils-Nynäshamn is an important route for Stena Line. We took over the business a few years ago and since then we have had a positive development and have taken important steps both in our freight and travel business. This is another important step in the development where we increase our focus on value-for-money shopping, something that we know our customers’ demands”, says Tony Michaelsen, Route Manager.
When Stena Line a couple of years ago introduced floating Bordershops onboard the ferries to Denmark, Germany and Poland it was a huge success with records in both ticket sales and sales onboard.
“With the ships we have today on this route we have no possibility to take the Bordershop concept onboard. But we are convinced that our Bordershop ashore will have as high attraction. Shopping is a very important part of the trip for our travelers, and for our Swedish customers the possibility to shop and bring home larger quantities of cheap alcohol is very important, something that is proven by the success we have had on our other routes. The fact that the Bordershop is located in the terminal in Ventspils also means that we of course give our warm welcome to Latvian people who are out looking for a great deal on high quality products”, says Tony Michaelsen.
The prices in Stena Lines Bordershops are very competitive compared to Swedish prices, in general it is up to 60 percent cheaper in Stena Lines Bordershops.
During 2015 152 000 passengers traveled on the route between Ventspils and Nynäshamn. The hope is that this will increase the number tourists travelling to Latvia for a break.
“Latvia is a very nice and interesting country to visit, rich on history and culture. The capital Riga, about 2.5 hours by car from the charming seaport Ventspils has a charming mix of old and new, with innovative restaurants and tastes, good shopping and many tourist attractions. It is a perfect destination for a weekend trip or a longer stay to discover more of Latvia by car. For those who likes spa and seaside resorts Jurmala, 2 hours by car from Ventspils, is a great destination that beside its spas and beaches is well knowned for its architecture and traditional woodworks. The fact the general price level is quite a bit lower compared to Sweden makes it even more attractive”, says Alexandra Hansson, Route Marketing Manager Baltic Sea, Travel market Sweden.
About Stena Line
Stena Line is one of the world's largest ferry operators with 35 ferries and 22 routes in northern Europe. Stena Line is developing new intermodal freight solutions by combining transport by rail, road and sea and it is an important part of the European logistics network. The company is family-owned, was founded 1962 and the head office is located in Gothenburg. Stena Line is part of the Stena Sphere, which has around 20.500 employees and a turnover of SEK 54 billion.