PACSAFE, one of the world’s leading travel-bag brands, recently selected the Philippines as the location of its first worldwide flagship store.
Pacsafe President Magnus McGlashan said during the opening of their Makati City store that prime consideration for choosing the Philippines is its young and growing population.
“The Philippines is all about a ‘can do’ market. It is young and fresh. It has a willingness to accept new brands. There is a positive vibe to this country,” McGlashan said.
In the Philippines McGlashan said they are positioning their bags towards the 20-year-old age group all the way to the seasoned travelers.
Coupled with the opening of their first store, McGlashan said they will also be moving some of their production line to the Philippines by the middle of next year. Currently, Pacsafe manufactures their bags in China and Vietnam.
“We are looking at starting production in the Philippines by middle of 2017 or 2018. We see 25 percent of our bags being made here,” McGlashan said.
The company produces 500,000 bags annually that is sold in 40 countries, including the United States, Australia, and most of the countries, in the Asia-Pacific region.
With some of its production being moved to the country, McGlashan said they will also open 10 more stand alone stores in the country. However, he did not disclose yet where they will be located.
“Our local distributor has great passion and we want to support the Philippines,” McGlashan said.
According to McGlashan, Pacsafe has 200 different products that ranges from backpacks to wheel bags.
“We have a variety of styles that have universal appeal,” he said.
Meanwhile, during the launch of the Pacsafe flagship store, the company also made a donation to the Pawikan Conservation Center in Bataan.
“We promote conservation worldwide. We invest in conservation efforts,” McGlashan said.
He said that they approached the Pawikan Conservation Center because they saw a detailed list on what they wanted to do, have strict guidelines on expenses, and saw that the funds will be use to expand the center’s infrastructure.
The entire Bagac and Morong coasts are known as nesting grounds of three sea turtle species in the country, including the Hawksbill, Olive Ridley and the Green Turtle.
Pacsafe, which was first made commercial in Hong Kong in 1998, found its way to the Philippines in 2007 and slowly built a reputation as the best antitheft bag available in the market.
Image credits: Rodel Alzona