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SOUTH KOREA. Arrivals duty-free could be open at Seoul Incheon International airport as soon as next year if new legislation backed by airport authority Incheon International Airport Corp (IIAC) and operator Korea National Tourism Organisation (KNTO) is passed
SPAIN. Spanish consortium (GEA) has made a Eu609m ($812m) bid for 100% of Spanish retailer Aldeasa, valuing its shares at Eu29 ($38.70) each
US. UK-based cruise concessionaire Harding Brothers has strengthened its position in the US premium cruise market, winning a three-year retail contract on board the luxury Silverseas Cruises fleet
People & Company
The 12th Dubai Duty Free Golf World Cup was won by reigning champion Adel Zarouni, who proved his mastery of the Wadi and Arabian Ranches courses over the two-day tournament with a score of 84
UETA South America operations director Pablo Clasen was murdered in the Venezuelan capital Caracas on November 20
More people and company news
Dubai Duty Free managing director Colm McLoughlin has been elected president of the Middle East Duty Free Association (MEDFA) for the next two years
Features
For the third year running, DFNI presents its annual Product Awards, selected and debated by our specialist team of product writers. And as always, they faced tough choices in every category. Here is our pick of the year's top performers
DFNI looks back on the wit and wisdom of some of the industry's key figures over the past 12 months
DFNI dusts off its crystal ball and makes its own rash predictions for the year ahead. If it happens, you read it here first. If not, you read it somewhere else
The men's skincare category is coming of age. As the segment matures and gains space at important duty-free locations, retailers are getting ready to open dedicated stores. Tina Milton investigates the category's potential for growth
Beauty powerhouses such as L'Oréal and Estée Lauder have fought long and hard to maintain their market share in travel-retail. But World Duty Free has opened the gates for a new international contender, Victoria's Secret Beauty. Tina Milton reports on the brand's first move into airport retail
By Dermot Davitt Executive Editor
As the festive season approaches, many children across the world will have sent Father Christmas their requests for Yuletide gifts. But what will the travel-retail industry be asking for? DFNI canvassed a few industry decision-makers to find out
More than 300 delegates flocked to Dubai last month for this year's Middle East Duty Free Association conference. DFNI reports on an event that confirmed the region's enhanced status within the global industry
A panel discussion on the first morning of the conference brought together Arab Air Carriers Organisation secretary general Abdul Wahab Teffaha, Air Arabia CEO Adel Ali, British Airways regional manager for Africa, Middle East, Central and South Asia Alan Burnett, and Abu Dhabi Duty Free managing director Mohamed Mounib
DFNI takes a pictorial look at the people, events and places that shaped the year in duty-free
End in sight for year-long dispute. By Gavin Lipsith Retail News Editor
Asked for their Christmas wish a year ago, most travel-retail executives will have hoped for a period of relative calm to get their businesses back on track
DFNI takes a sideways look at some of the year's key travel-retail developments, and salutes those industry players who made the headlines
By John Rimmer Editor
By John Rimmer Editor
By John Rimmer Editor
MyTravel's aggressive price promotions raise serious questions for Copenhagen's airport retailers. By Gavin Lipsith Retail News Editor
By John Gallagher Editor for Spain and Latin America
Retail News Analysis
CANADA. Sales figures for January to October have confirmed a disappointing year in the Canadian border duty-free business
SOUTH KOREA. Korean Air is set to achieve duty-free sales of $105m in 2004 compared with $100m last year, keeping the carrier at the top of the global inflight sales rankings
NEW ZEALAND. Strong sales through airport stores and its website have helped Regency Duty Free, part of The Nuance Group, deliver double-digit growth in 2004 compared with 2003
BELGIUM. Brussels International Airport Co (BIAC) has revealed plans to completely renovate the non-Schengen commercial area at Brussels Zaventem airport by April next year
MALAYSIA. The Malaysia Duty Free Association is calling on airport authority Malaysia Airports to offer seven-year duty-free contracts in the forthcoming retail tender at Kuala Lumpur International airport (KLIA)
UAE. Dubai Duty Free (DDF) is set to end an encouraging year for Middle East travel-retail by breaking the $500m sales barrier, managing director Colm McLoughlin told DFNI
FRANCE. The deadline for letters of interest in the Paris Charles de Gaulle airport terminal one tender for liquor, tobacco and beauty passed on December 6
DENMARK. Scandinavian charter airline MyTravel Airways Northern Europe has slashed prices in its inflight catalogue in an attempt to persuade passengers to shop on board rather than at the airport
MEXICO. Dufry has opened four airport shops in Mexico at Monterrey, Los Cabos and Guadalajara
NORWAY. SAS Trading has started removing products from its duty-free shops at Oslo Gardermoen airport ahead of its departure on December 31
New shops have been fashioned from the original duty-free area to form a general duty-free shop, which opened in November, and a La Casa del Habano duty-paid cigar shop opened earlier this month
FRANCE. The Association Française du Commerce du Voyageur (AFCOV) has unveiled its latest sales index showing performance across France's travel-retail outlets
TUNISIA. Hamila Duty Free has extended its duty-free contract with Tunisian ferry company Navigation for another five years. The new contract will start in January 2005
MIDDLE EAST. Aer Rianta International?Middle East (ARI?ME) has enjoyed ?an absolutely fantastic year?, according to managing director John Sutcliffe
GREECE. Hellenic Duty Free Shops has sold its interests in EfSimon and EfSimon Collections, the official licensee for Athens Olympic Games merchandise, to N Konstantopoulos, a major shareholder in N Konstantopoulos Byzantine Art
Liquor & Wines
Czech Airlines (CSA) has named Czech wine producer Bohemia Sekt as its exclusive wine supplier for the next two years following a tender involving the country's largest wine producers
The UK government has confirmed that airport stores, airlines and ferries will be exempt from controversial plans to introduce tax stamps on all bottles of spirits
Diageo has reached an agreement to buy Ursus Vodka Holding, the Netherlands-based owner of Ursus vodka and Ursus Roter
C&C International has launched Carolans Irish Cream in a carry-out pack of four mini 100ml bottles in an attempt to attract new consumers
Emirates Airlines is reintroducing liquor into its inflight sales offer on selected routes this month after a seven-year break, DFNI can reveal
Tobacco Products
Leading companies in the Middle East Duty Free Association (MEDFA) have lent their support to the battle to defend duty-free tobacco against the threat of abolition posed by the World Health Organization's (WHO) tobacco treaty
UK-based Imperial Tobacco unveiled its latest brand-building effort for Davidoff cigarettes last month with the launch of the Avid Collection, a smoking kit conceived by designer Ora-Ïto
The Turkish government is to make a second attempt to sell state tobacco monopoly Tekel within a few months, a source close to the company has told DFNI
The China National Tobacco Corp has cast fresh doubts on China's willingness to open its tobacco market to foreign suppliers
Alpha Retail has removed branded tobacco banners and hoardings across its UK airport shops and replaced branded displays with its own generic shelving
Fragrances
World Duty Free (WDF) has confirmed that the beauty sector accounts for well above 50% of its sales and the figure is on target to reach 60% in the next two or three years
Elizabeth Arden is poised to launch a men's fragrance from fashion brand Gant.
Coty subsidiary Lancaster Group Worldwide expects revenues to grow by 20% annually in Asia over the coming years.
Fits Corp is planning to introduce its new fragrance Risingwave to the travel-retail market in 2005
Cosmetics
Travel-retail is set to become more of a focal point for Estée Lauder's Bobbi Brown brand
Leading travel retailers have forecast that sales of men's skincare are likely to double over the next year with the advent of new products such as Boss Skin from P&G Beauty
Clarins has unveiled its cosmetics collection for spring 2005, In the Mood for Love
L'Oréal Luxury Products Division Americas (Parbel) has joined forces with InterBaires to create a men's beauty area within the wine cellar store at Buenos Aires Ezeiza International airport
Confectionery & Fine Foods
Dutch food conglomerate CSM was close to finalising the sale of its entire confectionery business, including MalacoLeaf, as DFNI went to press
Spanish turrón specialist El Almendro, part of Delaviuda Group, is to launch several new lines
Dutch manufacturer Droste will relaunch its roll pack range early in 2005 and has identified key regions for expanding duty-free sales after returning to the TFWA World Exhibition in Cannes in October following a one-year absence
German chocolate manufacturer Feodora, which made its Cannes debut this year, is seeking duty-free distributors in the Middle East and the US
More confectionery news
Gifts & Electronics
Israeli electronic accessories supplier Sygnet is looking for new European domestic and travel-retail distributors in a bid to increase its presence in the electronics market
Frankfurt airport opened its 31st international Christmas market on December 1
UK electronics supplier Oregon Scientific is keen to move into what it described as the ?lifestyle electronics? segment, which includes non-essential leisure items such as iPod music players
German gifts company Culto has unveiled its latest homeware accessories for domestic and travel-retail markets and is seeking to expand further outside Germany
UK enamel gifts supplier Halcyon Days has introduced its Christmas range in Harrods International stores.
Jewellery & Watches
Australian jewellery supplier Wellington Jeweller will bid to extend its presence in the European market at the beginning of 2005
Pearl jewellery supplier Majorica is seeking travel-retail distributors in France and Germany, its next targets for travel-retail development
More jewellery news
Writing instruments supplier Cross has launched its first range of timepieces for the domestic and travel-retail markets
Monte Carlo-based jewellery supplier Zeades launched its latest offering, Colour Codes, at the Middle East Exclusive exhibition last month
Fashion & Leathergoods
Alpha Retail has opened its first stand-alone store dedicated to speciality product categories led by fashion and accessories at Newcastle airport in the UK
Belgian bag company Kipling is to focus on key lines Basic and If in its spring/summer 2005 collections for travel-retail
The leathergoods line from luxury tobacco brand Davidoff, introduced 15 months ago in Cannes, is set to make its debut at Singapore Changi airport in early 2005, with a roll-out to other Asian locations following shortly after
More fashion news
