SWITZERLAND. Close co-operation with concessionaires at Zürich airport's new Airside Center has been critical in ensuring a strong retail offer at the commercial centre, airport authority Unique has told DFNI.

NORWAY. The Norwegian government is considering a plan to allow arrivals duty-free shopping at the country's airports.

Roy Griffins is to replace Philippe Hamon as director general of ACI Europe on December 1.

Tax Free World Association has unveiled details of the TFWA World Exhibition Conference, which will open the 20th annual Cannes show in October.

This year's Cannes rugby match will pit defending champions the Olympian Barbarians against the Latin Lovers in a game to be played at the Stade St Cassien on Sunday October 17 at 4pm.

Places are still available for prospective delegates to the World Low Cost Airlines Conference, to be held at Queen Elizabeth II Centre in London on September 21-22.

A round-up of people and company news

Single malts have shown excellent growth in recent years, but is this young category in danger of becoming saturated with new products of dubious worth? And how will shortages affect best-selling lines if sales continue to grow? Joe Bates reports

The Macallan's recent decision to launch a new range of single malts matured in both bourbon and sherry oak casks is a significant change of direction for the Speyside malt. Joe Bates asks whether the gamble will pay off

Liqueur brands are working hard to break out of their festive season straitjacket, but with the exception of cream liqueurs, the sector's travel-retail performance has been disappointing. Joe Bates asks what can be done to turn things around

Baileys might be the biggest, but it is not the only cream liqueur on the market, contrary to the evidence in some airport stores. The success of the Diageo-owned brand has blazed a trail for others to follow?but can the average consumer taste the difference between competing products? John Rimmer decided to find out

Twelve years have passed since Kyiv Duty Free, a subsidiary of Aer Rianta International, opened in Ukraine. The operator hopes its recent renovation will capitalise on the potential of a city it believes could be "the new Prague". Gavin Lipsith asked retail operations manager Domnick O'Reilly about what he plans next for the newly expanded business

INTERNATIONAL. Pernod Ricard, the second biggest liquor supplier in duty-free, is to wind down its travel-retail division Pernod Ricard World Trade (PRWT) by the end of the year.

UKRAINE. Kiev Boryspil International airport retailer Kyiv Duty Free has reported strong results for the year to date, with sales growing by 51% to the end of August compared with the figure for the same period last year.

JAPAN. Narita Airport Authority's new retail subsidiary Narita Airport Authority Retailing (NAAR) is establishing joint-venture companies with three of its four retail tenants: JATCo, ANA Trading and the JAL/DFS partnership.

SOUTH AMERICA. Latin American association ASUTIL's eighth annual conference, organised in partnership with DFNI publisher Raven Fox, examined how landlords, operators and suppliers are positioning their businesses to take advantage of the regional recovery.

NETHERLANDS. Amsterdam Schiphol liquor and tobacco operator KLM Tax Free Services is hoping that its new megastore, due to open in mid-February 2005 and operated in partnership with beauty retailer Kappé Schiphol, will offset a sharp fall in turnover this year.

FRANCE. Aelia is planning to place eight new mobile units across various duty-free outlets over the next six months. Four trolleys will be devoted to selling liquor and tobacco, and four will sell fragrances and cosmetics.

Norway's significance as western Europe's last remaining pure duty-free outpost is set to be reinforced next year, when the government is expected to approve the creation of arrivals duty-free stores in the country's airports.

UK. Charter airline MyTravel Airways has rebranded its inflight magazine and duty-free assortment.

RUSSIA. Kapo Group has opened a store at Borisoglebsk on the Russian border with Norway.

ICELAND. Airport authority Leifur Eiríksson Air Terminal has revealed tender details for retail space at Keflavik airport.

BELARUS. Belorussian operator Helen and Valery has opened a new store on the country's Lithuanian border

UK. BAA has reported the busiest August on record at its UK airports, with passenger numbers rising to 14.2m, up by 3.7% on the same month last year.

CYPRUS. Sales at the Kaner Group of Companies, which operates three shops in Turkish-controlled northern Cyprus, increased by 30% for the first six months of 2004 compared with the same period last year.

UK. Tax refund services provider Global Refund has blamed the weak dollar for a drop in spending among US tourists in the UK.

SINGAPORE. Dufry Group has opened two new confectionery shops at Singapore Changi airport terminal one.

Bols Distilleries is to redesign the bottle for its Bols brand, one of the best-selling strong liqueurs in duty-free.

Supply shortages have become a serious problem for the growing single malt whisky category, duty-free operators have revealed in an in-depth report

Diageo is to roll out Johnnie Walker Green Label worldwide later this month.

Chivas Brothers, which is owned by Pernod Ricard, has announced a relaunch of The Glenlivet, the third best-selling single malt Scotch whisky.

Rémy-Cointreau is to launch new duty-free packaging for its Cointreau brand later this year.

Ian Macleod Distillers has introduced a 12yo cask-strength version of its Glengoyne single malt brand.

The Macallan has made the biggest change in its 180 year-old history by launching a new range of single malt Scotch whiskies that are matured in both bourbon and sherry oak casks.

Henri Wintermans has introduced a new pack for its best-selling cigarillo brand Café Crème.

Greek cigarette manufacturer Karelia has unveiled a new wall-unit display for travel-retail.

Aer Rianta International subsidiary Kyiv Duty Free has enjoyed a sharp rise in cigar sales in the first eight months of the year after renovating its tobacco department in Kiev Boryspil airport's departures outlet.

The tobacco industry has enjoyed a peaceful and relatively threat-free summer, but the calm was broken by the announcement by Australia's Liberal party on September 8 of its pre-election budget plans.

French retailer Aelia plans to open a 300sq m (3,330sq ft) store at Nice Côte d'Azur International airport by December.

YSL Beauté is to establish a new product development organisation to drive the travel-retail division.

Lancôme is to launch its latest women's fragrance Miracle So Magic! in European travel-retail markets this month.

Retailer Kaner Group of Companies could sell more fragrances at its 20sq m (215sq ft) shop at Ercan airport in Turkish-controlled northern Cyprus if it had more space and smoother stock throughput, according to managing director Ömür Gümüs.

Cosmopolitan Cosmetics has revealed a 35% sales increase in its worldwide travel-retail division during the first six months of 2004 compared with the same period last year.

Fine Fragrances & Cosmetics has signed an agreement with a distributor in the Middle East to expand its Van Gils brand outside Europe.

Elizabeth Arden's Provocative Woman has exceeded sales targets at Singapore Changi airport by breaking the 3,400-bottle mark in three weeks at Nuance-Watson (Singapore) stores.

Dermatological and medical brands are predicted to be the next big trend in the cosmetics and skincare segment in the domestic market.

Skincare brand Jurlique has gained a presence in new duty-free locations in Taiwan, South Korea and the Philippines.

The Nuance Group opened a 358sq m (3,855sq ft) outlet selling cosmetics and fragrances in Toronto Lester B Pearson International airport terminal three last month.

Skincare brand Matis has gained space in a new duty-free store on San Andrès island off the coast of Colombia, which it will enter by the end of 2004.

Paton's Macadamia Plantations has reached agreements with leading airport operators to place new wall and gondola display units.

UK toffee manufacturer Walkers' Nonsuch, an independent family-owned company with more than a century of tradition in the business, is taking a stand at the TWFA World Exhibition in Cannes (Green Village, stand H56) for the first time next month.

New Tree, the specialist Belgian chocolate company that takes its name from the word "nutrition" and which achieved its duty-free breakthrough with Belgian Sky Shops subsidiary The Chocolate Company earlier this year (DFNI April 15), has extended its product range.

Chocolaterie Duc d'O will place greater emphasis on its travel-retail offering next year following this month's launch of new packaging and products, according to key account manager Filip van de Vyver.

HMS Host has partnered with US retailer CBR to offer gift concepts as joint venture Minnesota Retail Partners at Minneapolis-St Paul International airport.

Medical electronics supplier Veino Technology has created a medically approved device for travellers to combat deep vein thrombosis (DVT).

Gifts retailer Made in Oregon has opened its third outlet at Portland airport.

Electronics retailer Dabs.com has enjoyed a 25% year-on-year sales increase during the summer season at Liverpool John Lennon airport.

Plush toy supplier Russ Berrie has partnered with Britannia Airways for a programme of gwp promotions. For every two fragrances purchased inflight, customers will receive a chocolate-scented bunny keyring.

Swiss watch supplier Swatch has claimed double-digit growth in travel-retail for the first half of 2004, with all models gaining market share.

US jewellery and fashion operator Bijoux Terner is planning an extensive travel-retail expansion programme.

The Nuance Group's airport jewellery retail franchise Goldsmiths has been awarded an exclusive airport retail contract with luxury watch supplier Giorgio Armani.

US jewellery house Liz Claiborne has launched Monet-inspired pieces for its summer collection this year.

From mid-October Toronto Lester B Pearson International airport's terminal three will take its fashion retail offer to a new level with the arrival of four new branded corners for Hugo Boss, Burberry, Hermès and Givenchy.

Last week's official inauguration of Zürich airport's Airside Center coincided with the opening of Emporio Armani's second stand-alone store in travel-retail, almost a year after the first shop opened at Rome Fiumicino airport last October.

As it celebrates its 20th anniversary, TFWA World Exhibition will witness one of the biggest arrivals of new fashion and accessories companies to the show next month.