The face of beauty retailing at Singapore Changi airport is about to change with the arrival of Nuance-Watson as fragrances and cosmetics concessionaire in terminal two. Amid the positive noises about Nuance?s retailing track record, suppliers are voicing concerns about the perceived high bids, and talk of growing pressure on them to foot the bill. DFNI reports reaction to one of the year?s pivotal airport tenders.

For the past 17 years Dubai Duty Free has won award after award, and built its revenue on a virtually uninterrupted growth curve. With the opening last year of the stunning Sheikh Rashid terminal, the retail operation has scaled new heights, generating expected sales of $260m this year. But behind the plaudits lies a very human story, as Martin Moodie discovered during a recent visit to the United Arab Emirates.

Liquor retailers in Latin America benefit from price advantages and willing purchasers, so why should they over-complicate things? John Rimmer talks to operators about the simple approach to running a liquor store.

United we stand or divided we fall. That?s the message from Bacardi Global Brands travel-retail marketing vice-president Jose Chao, who says there must be greater cooperation between liquor suppliers and retailers if the sector is to thrive. John Rimmer speaks to him about the opportunities for growth.

It?s not every day, or even most days, that a journalist makes someone happy. Very happy. But during a recent visit to Dubai Duty Free, DFNI publisher Martin Moodie did just that, drawing the latest winner of a luxury BMW 740AL in the Finest Surprise raffle, and transforming someone?s life in the process.

Colm McLoughlin likes to talk trivia. But this trivia is anything but trivial. Instead, it is his regaling of some of the more extraordinary sales statistics achieved by Dubai Duty Free each year.

Founded in Cuba in 1862, Bacardi?s history is intertwined with that of the Caribbean. The company has a strong presence in its home market, and further growth is predicted as the cruiseship sector continues to develop. Bacardi Global Brands travel-retail marketing vice-president Jose Chao expects the boom in cruise travel to provide more opportunities for the region?s liquor industry.

The time for talking is over. The clock is ticking towards the next round of negotiations on the World Health Organization?s (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control in November. Even at this late stage, industry action could still save the day for duty-free tobacco.

UK. A 9% rise in net retail income at UK airports contributed to an increase in BAA?s first-quarter profits for the period ending June 30.

MALAYSIA. Airport authority Malaysia Airports has granted all leading duty-free retailers at Kuala Lumpur International airport (KLIA) two-year extensions. Initial three-year contracts, which began when KLIA opened in mid-1998, expired last month. Since then, two-year extension options, similar to the arrangement at Singapore Changi airport, have taken effect.

UK. BAA retail subsidiary World Duty Free (WDF) is dropping fashion from its general merchandise airport stores in the UK as part of a strategic overhaul of its category management.

INTERNATIONAL. Strong duty-free sales at Asia?s airports helped global sales remain stable at $20bn in 2000, according to the latest figures from Generation and DFNI Database.

SINGAPORE. Interest in Singapore Changi airport?s beauty business will peak again this month as tender documents are released for the airport?s terminal one fragrances and cosmetics contract, operated by Weitnauer. The hotly contested T2 beauty contract was awarded to Nuance-Watson last month.

INTERNATIONAL. The campaign to save duty-free tobacco has entered a critical phase as the build-up to the next World Health Organisation (WHO) meeting in November begins. And action from all industry sectors is crucial to force the issue of duty-free retailing off the agenda for the WHO?s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.

SRI LANKA. Alpha Retail?s Sri Lankan operation, Orient Lanka, is back in business after a terrorist attack at Colombo Bandanaraike airport closed the terminal building and halted all flights last week.

US. Leading Miami International airport retailer Sirgany has said it plans to bid aggressively for forthcoming tenders at Miami airport, despite reports that it objected strongly to the new-look terminal development plan.