UK/INTERNATIONAL. Alpha Airports Group has reported a fall in profits for the six months ending July 31, citing business development costs and the impact of last December's tsunami

AUSTRALASIA. James Richardson is planning to use the infrastructure it has established at its three new downtown stores in Australia in order to launch a fresh push into the Australasian airport market

THAILAND. September 29 2005 was a landmark date in Thai aviation as the first flight landed at Bangkok's stunning new Suvarnabhumi airport.

Given the eastward creep of the EU and the accession ambitions of countries such as Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina, duty-free outposts in eastern Europe are highly-prized these days

Hurricane Katrina may have tipped the ailing US airline industry over the edge. But the challenge of rebuilding could yet bring about much-needed change

Most journalists and sub-editors have a stock of headlines that can be deployed in an emergency, or others that are overused and shelved, never to be seen again

As the pros and cons of the airport-owned and concession-based retail models continue to arouse passions within the industry, one of the most telling contributions to the debate may come from Japan—not known as a hotbed of innovation in duty-free

If there is one branch of the travel-retail industry that embodies the challenges faced since intra-EU duty-free abolition in 1999, it is the cross-Channel ferry market

Since Autogrill and Altadis joint venture Retail Airport Finance (RAF) completed its acquisition of Aldeasa earlier this year, the duty-free industry has wondered what strategy it will adopt

Campaigners lobbying against excessive charges imposed on retailers by credit card companies scored an important victory in the UK last month when the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) released its long-awaited report on charges set by MasterCard UK and its affiliated banks

A familiar name in Australian duty-free is set to make a long-awaited return to the country this year after a 10-year absence

More people and company news

A Charity Ball is being organised to raise funds for Head and Neck Cancer Research in memory of MacIntyre Scott's former owner Fred Ridges, who died last year

India Tourism Development Corp (ITDC) vice-president Chris Ruthnaswamy is to leave the company at the end of October, after almost 20 years with the state-owned tourist board and duty-free operator

Delegates at last month's second Trinity Forum in London were in buoyant mood, reflecting the industry's growing confidence. Gavin Lipsith reports on the event's main themes

Domestic market competition is proving to be a thorn in the side for European ferry operators who are trying to encourage bulk beer sales. In contrast, the draught business on board cruiselines and the small, gift-driven airport market are showing promise, writes Joe Bates

The Wisa Group is one of the biggest travel retailers in Central America, with more than 52 airport shops in 10 countries as well as outlets at border crossings, cruiseship terminals and low-tax areas. Earlier this year owner the Waked family appointed Marcelo Montico as commercial director. John Gallagher talks to him about how the company is performing

An increasingly buoyant economy in Mexico has brightened the outlook for the country's leading airport retailers. John Gallagher talks to Dufry Mexico and Latinoamericana de Duty Free about plans to maintain their recent growth

Rumours of the death of the cross-Channel ferry market have been greatly exaggerated. Lorna Strickland talks to retailers and discovers that a little faith and innovation go a long way

SINGAPORE. DFS Venture Singapore and Swizzle are the only bidders for the wine concession at Singapore Changi terminal two

SERBIA. Aer Rianta International (ARI) has emerged as the sole bidder for the master retail concession at Belgrade International airport

LD Lines takes over P&O route

FRANCE. Cross-channel catamaran operator SpeedFerries has opened a 100sq m (1,076sq ft) store at the port of Boulogne

UK. Glasgow Prestwick International airport owner Infratil has issued tender documents to 10 companies interested in taking over the airport's retail operation

CANADA. A three-week strike by staff at Ambassador Duty Free Store on the Ontario-Michigan border has ended, allowing the retailer to restore 24-hour opening for the first time since September 2

US. The Nuance Group and Duty Free Air & Ship Supply (DFASS) have won the five-year contract for four duty-free shops at Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International airport

SPAIN. As DFNI went to press Airport authority AENA and Dufry Group were set to sign a contract granting the Swiss travel retailer the right to operate a 1,110sq m (11,945sq ft) duty-paid store at Tenerife South airport

KUWAIT. National carrier Kuwait Airways has tendered its onboard retail concession and is in the process of appointing an operator for a three-year term

ITALY. Airport authority Aeroporto Verona plans to double the space allocated to duty-free at Verona Valerio Catullo airport to 3,000sq m (32,280sq ft)

The Baltic and East European Travel Retail conference, to be held in St Petersburg on November 23–25, has attracted speakers from many of the European duty-free industry's most influential companies

ARGENTINA. A consortium comprising London Supply and three other Argentinian companies is to build, develop and operate an ambitious cruiseship and ferry passenger terminal in the port of Buenos Aires

UK. British Airways has asked suppliers to be patient as the airline bids to restore its short-haul retail service, which has been suspended since the beginning of the dispute between caterer Gate Gourmet and its staff

SPAIN. National airport authority AENA has announced a tender for five retail outlets at Madrid Barajas International airport's new terminal four and is set to launch further tenders shortly

US. UK-based cruise concessionaire Harding Brothers has secured a five-year contract to operate retail on board Crystal Cruises' luxury vessels Symphony and Serenity

NIGERIA. Tourvest Duty Free has concluded three months of negotiations with Nigeria-based Bellview Airlines by signing a three-year inflight retail contract that it predicts will be worth $2m in annual sales

UK. Select Service Partners (SSP) has terminated its contracts with cross-Channel ferry operators Norfolkline and SpeedFerries, signalling its exit from UK ferry retail

POLAND. Ferry group Polferries has suffered a 50% drop in its onboard retail revenue since Poland joined the EU in May 2004

JAPAN. The new South Wing in Tokyo Narita airport's terminal one is on schedule to open in June 2006 and will contain as much retail space as the rest of the airport combined, DFNI can reveal

MEXICO. Dufry Group has opened the first section of Dufry Galeria, its new concept at Mexico City International airport

SRI LANKA. Colombo Bandaranaike International airport operator Alpha Orient Lanka moved to a new departures store last month as renovation work at the location continues

Distribution group Maxxium has revealed its plans to integrate some of the brands acquired by co-owner Fortune Brands as part of the latter's joint purchase of Allied Domecq

Japan Tobacco International (JTI) and Fraport Group advertising agency Media Frankfurt officially inaugurated 94 Camel and Winston smoker stations at Frankfurt International airport terminals one and two last month

Estée Lauder plans to introduce several travel-retail exclusives for True Star Men—the new fragrance collection from Tommy Hilfiger—following its international introduction this month

Japanese company Fits Corporation is to unveil its second fragrance under the Love Passport brand, Love Passport a Bloom, at the TFWA World Exhibition in Cannes this month

Beauty played a key part in driving a 34% year-on-year rise in duty-free sales at Croatia's Split airport between January and the end of August

Victoria's Secret Beauty (VSB), a division of Limited Brands, has entered a partnership with Brasif Duty Free Shop to sell its products at arrivals and departures shops at Brazil's São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro airports

Nuance-Watson (HK) opened a temporary SK-II outpost in the East Hall of Hong Kong International airport (HKIA) last month to mark the launch of SK-II Skin Rebooster at the retailer's Temptation Duty Free store

Calvin Klein has signed a licensing agreement with cosmetics manufacturer Markwins International to launch colour cosmetics and skincare ranges under the newly-established ck Calvin Klein Beauty brand

Belgian chocolate specialist Starbrook Airlines, which has developed a travel concept themed on the 1950s aviation period (DFNI July 1), is building a distributor network for overseas expansion and investing in new depots.

Guylian is stepping up its presence in the twist wrap sector with a curved box and a new look for the 330g plastic box that launched Guylian Twists as a fledgling rival to the likes of Nestlé's Quality Street and Masterfoods' Celebrations last year

More confectionery news

After identifying a growing demand for premium dark chocolate, Lindt & Sprüngli has responded with six new specialities to be showcased in Cannes later this month

Netherlands-based electronics distributor Dufri International has gained the worldwide distribution license for the Apple iPod brand

UK cross-Channel operator P&O Ferries is redeveloping its onboard retail offer to focus on gift products

The Earth shoes brand, made famous in the 1970s, has re-entered the European market

UK leisurewear brand Cotton Traders has launched a range of apparel for travellers heading for hot destinations

French leathergoods house Texier expanded its airport presence in Moscow last month, following a rise in sales and new retail developments in the Russian market

Alpha Retail is to introduce fresh brands to travel-retail when it adds a new fashion area in the revamped duty-free store at Birmingham International airport terminal one