Emirates World Store Manila: A reflection of the emerging APAC luxury market 

Emirates takes its ‘Fly better’ tagline seriously. The Dubai-based carrier’s philosophy is that it should offer something different, something better to its customers, whichever class they are flying in.

And this ‘different’ and ‘better’ experience begins at the planning stage of travel. In November 2022, Emirates launched a reimagined retail travel store called the World Store, the very first being located in its Dubai headquarters.

An Emirates World Store is a fully immersive, experiential center where customers can actually try the airline’s lounge and onboard products such as actual lounge and aircraft seats. An apt description of a World Store is a travel retail center where actual products take the place of glossy brochures or Virtual Reality (VR), so customers can experience them, and not just see or imagine what they’re like.

Currently, there are eight Emirates World Stores in operation across the globe: Dubai, Kenya, Casablanca, Cairo, Manila, Singapore, Bangkok and the latest in Seoul.

Recently, AeroTime had the opportunity to visit the Emirates World Store in Manila, the third global World Store, and the first to open in Southeast Asia.

Located at Shangri-La The Fort, Manila in Bonifacio Global City (BGC), the Emirates World Store in Manila opened in November 2024.

We’ve officially launched the Emirates World Store in Manila. An impeccably designed space which will redefine the retail experience for customers. https://t.co/19nRFZE6AC pic.twitter.com/szbCTSQc15— Emirates (@emirates) November 21, 2024 Favoring an experiential and tactile shopping experience

The Emirates World Store in Manila is the very first of its kind in the Philippines, a country that has a consumer population which greatly values human, face-to-face interactions between buyers and sellers. 

Historically, market research agency Kadence International found that the Philippine economy was deeply rooted in agriculture, with local markets as the center of community life and commerce. 

“These markets were more than just places to buy and sell goods; they were cultural hubs where social bonds were formed and maintained. The exchange of goods in these settings was personal, with a strong emphasis on face-to-face interactions and establishing trust between buyers and sellers,” the agency noted.

This is the kind of interaction that the Emirates Store, located in the central business district of BGC, offers in Manila. 

Emirates Country Manager Philippines, Saeed Abdulla Miran, told AeroTime: “When we launched our first Emirates World retail store concept in Southeast Asia in Manila, our goal was to create an immersive space where our Filipino customers can experience Emirates’ premium offerings that are also tailored to their specific needs.”

The preference for opting to shop in-store despite the e-commerce boom is by no means exclusive to the Philippines. A 2023 Asia Pacific Retail Flash Survey showed that 61% of consumers in the Asia Pacific region prefer seeing a product in-store before ordering online, comparatively higher than consumers in Europe and the Americas.

The report suggested that physical stores will remain at the forefront of sales strategies, and companies must adapt and evolve to serve omnichannel retail. 

“This evolution will see retail stores shift away from being locations purely where transactions are made, towards becoming hubs that provide comprehensive customer experiences,” the survey said. 

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The investment in providing an all-embracing customer experience seems to be working for Emirates. Miran claimed that, during the first six months since the Emirates World Store in Manila opened, nearly 3,000 customers have made bookings on the site.

Brands that target markets outside the Asia Pacific (APAC) region might also benefit from considering an omnichannel model for retail goods. A December 2024 article by CNBC reported that Gen Z consumers, who make up 25% of the global population, prefer shopping in stores despite growing up as digital natives. 

Emirates’ signature A380 lounge bar at the Emirates World Store ManilaWhat does the Emirates World Store offer that cannot be found on digital channels?

“The Emirates World Store provides a unique opportunity for our customers to get a closer look at what it offers on board, both in terms of products and service,” Miran said.

That “closer look” experience goes beyond seeing products in HD or 4K resolution. The store offers something much more tactile by having customers experience what it’s like to fly Emirates.

An example of this is the signature onboard lounge and bar found on Emirates’ A380 aircraft. This same-size replica is a standout feature of the 221-square meter Emirates World Store in Manila.

To experience what it’s like to have a drink in the middle of a long-haul flight from the onboard lounge and bar, guests are served coffee, tea and sweet or savoury snacks while discovering more of the store or discussing travel plans. These are served in seats that can be found on Emirates airport lounges, with soft-leather seating patterned after the interior of Mercedes Benz S-Class.

Emirates World Store in ManilaAs part of its immersive travel experience, guests can also take an interactive mirror selfie, using technology that allows travelers to see themselves in different Emirates destinations. 

This is a feature found on all Emirates World Stores, giving customers that playful push by having them ‘step into’ their next holiday.

Emirates World Store’s selfie mirrorIncreased interest in first and business class travel

Emirates World Store in ManilaEmirates flies 26,800 First Class seats per week, making it the world’s largest operator of international first class travel. Currently, it is the only airline to offer first class service to and from Manila International Airport (MNL).

According to Miran, Emirates continues to see an uptrend in the number of Filipinos who choose to go premium for their international travels, specifically first class. This trend comes despite the Filipino market in general being known to prefer low-cost carriers when traveling overseas, Miran said. 

“In 2024, we flew a total of 4,900 passengers in first class, exceeding our 3,609 first class passengers in 2023, and we expect to see this upward trend continue in 2025. If this is any indication, I think we can confidently say that more Filipinos are embracing premium travel,” Miran said.

In its 2024 Global Business Travel Forecast report, travel management company CWT (formerly Carlson Wagonlit Travel) said that airline passengers in the Asia Pacific region are paying more for business class seats, given the increase in demand for leisure travel after the COVID-19 pandemic.

The report stated that average ticket prices for a business class seat in the region soared by 148.7% to $567 in 2023.

Why are travelers in the APAC region turning to luxury travel? 

There are a number of factors, but one major reason is that the population simply has bigger budgets due to a rapid economic growth in the APAC.

A significant increase in the number of high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs) has been seen in the region as a result of this growth.

At the 2025 International Luxury Travel Market (ILTM) Asia Pacific, Simon Baptist, APAC Principal Economist at Visa, revealed that Asia is set to account for nearly half of the world’s new HNWIs by 2028, driving a US$2.14 trillion addressable market across 10 key regional economies, according to a July 2025 report by Travel Weekly Asia. 

“Affluent spending is growing by 20% a year. It’s where the real opportunity lies – the middle class is struggling, but the wealthy are travelling and spending,” Baptiste said during the opening forum of ILTM in Singapore.

A 2025 consumer research by Visa found that today’s HNWIs are no longer simply buying branded goods, but also premium personal experiences, which includes travel. And although China still remains the biggest luxury outbound traveler due to its population, ‘new-entry’ markets are fast emerging from India, the Philippines and Vietnam.

The burgeoning middle-class population in these countries is becoming a crucial consumer group for luxury brands as they seek aspirational experiences that reflect their growing social status and lifestyle. 

Travel catered to the region: Basketball and group travel

While consumer spending may be increasing in the Philippines, some things remain unique to the culture.

One feature at the Emirates World Store in Manila that sets it apart from the other global World Stores is a section for NBA Cup merchandise.

Emirates World Store ManilaThe Philippines has a deep-rooted love for basketball, the most popular sport in the country. As such, the Emirates World Store in Manila has a special corner dedicated to the Emirates NBA Cup, where customers can also order various merchandise items such as scale model aircraft, caps and basketball.

According to Emirates Sales Manager for Philippines Barbie Gonzales, the store receives a significant number of orders for the special merchandise, which are delivered all the way from the Emirates Dubai Head Office.

Another trend, not exclusive to the Philippines, is the preference for group travel. All female-groups traveling overseas are becoming popular, most likely due to a ‘safety in numbers’ inclination. 

Gonzales noted that Emirates Philippines has seen an increase in female groups aged 50 and above traveling premium class for religious tour packages such as the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage in Spain or Lourdes in France.

Miran said that, during the first quarter of 2025, Emirates Philippines saw 36% of premium travellers fly solo, while 31% flew in groups. Another 20% flew as couples and 8% as families. More than 70%, he said, flew for leisure, with Europe being the most popular route.

The Emirates World Store in Manila has been open less than a year, but it already has plans for expansion. The airline hinted towards more floor space, and a dedicated area for a mock business or first class cabin, a true indication that premium travel is set for further growth in the country.

“Among the many things that customers can look forward to are the introduction of new routes, as well as the roll out of more refurbished aircraft which we believe will help improve their overall travel experience,” Miran said. “As always, Emirates is continuously thinking of new and innovative ways to delight our customers, so please stay tuned.” The post Emirates World Store Manila: A reflection of the emerging APAC luxury market  appeared first on AeroTime.

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