Big, brash and bold was the message from watchmakers at the 30th Basel World Watch and Jewellery Show 2002. Kevin Rozario examines the trends for large dials and bejewelled ostentation.

As the euphoria of winning the Seagram auction subsided, Pernod Ricard World Trade (PRWT) was faced with the onerous task of integrating the sprawling duty-free operation it had inherited. But the French-owned, UK-based supplier believes it has now found a blueprint for progress. John Rimmer talks to PRWT chairman and ceo Gilles Cambournac and marketing director James Clarke about the company?s new structure.

The sudden death of Desmond Begg on March 29 robbed the duty-free press of one of its most popular ambassadors. As DFNI?s long-time Latin American editor, Des had an unparalleled knowledge of the business in the region he loved, and a special place in the hearts of all those whom he met on his travels.

IAADFS is to be congratulated for its fine work in putting together a successful Orlando show under difficult circumstances. But anyone visiting the Trademarket during some quiet periods of the Orlando week cannot fail to have noticed that the hall was at times a shadow of its former self.

The early years of the 21st century are hardly a vintage period for the Cognac industry. The predicted recovery in Asia flatters to deceive, and competition from Scotch whisky and white spirits has taken its toll. Yet there are pockets of resistance where the decline is being halted. John Rimmer talks to suppliers and retailers about prospects for the drink that once ruled duty-free.

Sales may be declining in some parts of Cognac?s adopted heartland in Asia/Pacific, but in the product?s home market the news is more encouraging.

Bolstered by travellers? concerns about flying coupled with a shrewd redeployment of ships, cruiselines have recovered well from an initial slump after September 11. Buoyed by record bookings and some exciting retail initiatives, many in the industry are confident of calm waters ahead. By Gavin Lipsith

Wave Period (the three weeks after the Christmas holiday season) has traditionally served as a barometer for bookings for the rest of the year. And with several cruiselines reporting record bookings, the outlook for 2002 is positive.

Consolidation of the cruise industry continues apace with last year?s announcement of a planned merger between Royal Caribbean Cruises and P&O Princess Cruises.

In 2000, Sydney?s Olympic year, Nuance Australia struck gold with the opening of new stores at the city?s Kingsford Smith international airport. Two years and several awards later, John Rimmer talks to the operator about its plans for the liquor category.

Tax Free World Association (TFWA) has appointed Brown-Forman liquor executive Richard Ferne to the post of vice-president TFWA Asia Pacific with immediate effect.

Momentum is gathering for the ASUTIL 2002 conference in Montevideo, co-organised by ASUTIL and DFNI publisher Raven Fox.

US. Ship supplier and border shop operator Fairn & Swanson recently opened a new headquarters and distribution centre to serve both its growing retail business on the US/Mexico border and its cruiseline customers.

UK. The United Kingdom Travel Retail Forum (UKTRF) has won a crucial exemption to a customs technicality that would have cost UK airlines millions of pounds in new software, staff and administrative costs.

GREECE. The main stakeholder in leading Greek operator Hellenic Duty Free Shops is to sell its share of the venture amid continuing clashes over the way the company is run. The Agricultural Bank of Greece, which owns 60% of Hellenic?s shares, has formally invited bids for a stake of between 40% and 60% in the retailer.

FRANCE. Aéroport Nice Côte d?Azur has awarded the airside fashion contract at Nice airport?s new terminal two to Weitnauer. The Swiss operator is to run a 190sq m (2,045sq ft) fashion and accessories store at the location once the terminal is completed later this year.

SWITZERLAND. Swiss duty-free distribution company Promands?formerly PRO Marketing and Sales?has sold its European business to fellow Swiss distributor Unifree after the post-September 11 travel crisis resulted in a marked decline in sales.

ROMANIA. As the dispute between the Romanian government and Bucharest Otopeni airport operator EDF Asro escalates, the retailer?s stores at Otopeni have been closed and its office electricity supply and telephone lines disconnected.

CANADA. In one of North America?s biggest concession opportunities, the first phase of Toronto Lester B Pearson International airport?s C$4.4bn ($2.8bn) expansion is to be completed by October 2003.

As the votes are counted for this year?s Raven Fox Awards for Travel-Retail Excellence in Asia/Pacific, Raven Fox is proud to announce its sponsorship of a Lifetime Achievement in Duty-Free Award, to be presented at the awards ceremony in Singapore on May 22.

INTERNATIONAL. A statement from a senior EU official has spread concern among campaigners fighting to save duty-free tobacco. European Commissioner of Health and Welfare David Byrne gave his support for restricting tobacco sales in travel-retail after the fourth round of talks on the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, which took place in Geneva last month.

HONG KONG. Airport Authority Hong Kong is to carry out an overhaul of its organisation that will include setting up an independent retail business unit.

INTERNATIONAL. China Duty Free Group has confirmed it will send a substantial delegation of shop operators and buyers to this year?s Tax Free World Association Asia Pacific exhibition in Singapore in May. The Chinese delegation is expected to number about 25 and TFWA is confident there will also be bigger delegations from the Hong Kong-based Nuance-Watson joint venture and King Power International.

VANUATU. Airports Vanuatu, the operator of Port Vila and Pekoa International airports in the South Pacific island chain of Vanuatu, is seeking to renew interest in retail opportunities at the locations following a failed international tender last September.

GERMANY. Sports goods retailer House of Champions has opened a new shop at Frankfurt airport terminal one airside in pier A. This is the second House of Champions store in Germany, and follows the opening of an outlet at Düsseldorf airport last year.

GuinnessUDV has begun the duty-free roll-out of its super-premium gin Tanqueray Ten. The brand, which has traditionally enjoyed strong sales in North American domestic markets, was initially made exclusively available to DFS last September for six months.

French premium vodka Grey Goose, distributed in global duty-free by Allied Domecq, is strengthening its presence in the channel with a selection of new items.

Todhunter International is to extend its range of Cruzan rums with two new flavoured lines.

Japan Tobacco International (JTI) is to relaunch its Camel brand this month in markets outside the US.

Lalique Parfums will introduce a final limited-edition crystal flacon this Summer as part of its Lalique pour Homme line.

Recently-formed company Once in a Bloom Fragrances is promoting its first line of scents based on desert flowers, president Joann Petz told DFNI.

Parfums de Paris will be rolling out its men?s Samourai 47 fragrance in Japan during Golden Week at the end of this month and during the beginning of May.

Revlon has introduced LipGlide Color Gloss which, according to the company, combines the high shine of a gloss with the full colour coverage of a lipstick.

Estée Lauder has unveiled an Illusionist Eye Set, a new make-up set available now and exclusively in travel-retail markets worldwide.

Clinique?s latest offer is Long Pretty Lashes, a lengthening mascara with a lightweight formula to give a ?soft-feathered? effect, according to the company.

A new gourmet food company called Fodda has started supplying US airport shops operated by HMS Host after starting out in domestic retail in its home town, New York. 

Maxim?s de Paris has boosted its duty-free sales of chocolates, biscuits and coffee to one-third of its turnover after two years of low-key but steady expansion.

Optical goods manufacturer Minox is preparing to enter the digital market this Autumn. The prototypes will be presented to travel-retail at this year?s TFWA World Exhibition in Cannes.

Quirky fashion and gift items with a strong souvenir element are performing well for Australian company Done Art and Design, which operates outlets at Sydney and Cairns airports.

Market Connections is paving the way for Speedo to make its mark in duty-free. Since taking over the European agency last year the company has secured over 40 airline listings for the brand, with many carriers taking multiple items.

New to Tateossian?s women?s range is the Pandemonium collection, which includes a six-strand necklace of semi-precious stones.

Five watch brands from Swatch Group have been listed onboard Swiss?the revamped Crossair that is now the Swiss flag carrier following the collapse of Swissair.

Cosmoda Corporation is set to capitalise on the success of its watch licence Roots as Canada?s best-selling fashion watch brand.

Fashion house Etienne Aigner has signed a deal which gives Swiss company Tick Tack worldwide travel-retail distribution rights for its watch collections.

German fashion house Marc O?Polo is set to open its second airport store in Germany, and its first airside, when the company unveils a new corner at Frankfurt airport in July.

Munich airport is set to introduce one of the biggest fashion offers in Germany in terminal two when it opens in Spring 2003. Existing plans, revealed to DFNI, show that fashion is at the heart of the departures retail offer.