KUWAIT. A partnership between Aldeasa and That Al Salassel has topped the bids for the six-year duty-free contract at Kuwait International airport with an offer of KD5.1m ($17.5m) a year

UK/INTERNATIONAL. Global Airport Services (GAS) chairman Mark Riches has said he is "delighted" with the response from airports since the World Duty Free-Crossbar Associates joint venture was launched earlier this year

Despite weak economic indicators, investors' faith in luxury goods shares and the sustained recovery in tourism should give us all confidence

A record number of delegates—more than 220—attended this year's ASUTIL conference in Buenos Aires, where the Latin American trade association celebrated its tenth anniversary

In this industry we hear a lot of well-meaning talk about partnerships, so it's heartening to find examples of theory being put into practice

The mood on the last day of the 2001 ASUTIL conference could not have been more different from that of this year's event

Following its aggressive bid for the duty-free contract at Kuwait International airport, Aldeasa's determination to enter new markets has been maintained and enhanced under its new ownership

Stephen Nelson joined BAA earlier this month, succeeding Brian Collie as BAA retail director

Jose Maria Aznar, president of the Spanish government and prime minister of Spain between 1996-2004, has been confirmed as the keynote speaker at this year's TFWA World Exhibition conference in Cannes

DFNI publisher Raven Fox has strengthened its sales team with the appointment of Francesca Colombo as advertisement manager on DFNI and Travel Retailer International

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As travel retailers increasingly recognise the potential of the gift category at airports, Lorna Strickland examines related research and finds that the sector is about more than souvenirs

KLM Tax Free Services opened a specialist whisky and cigar store at Amsterdam Schiphol this summer amid difficult trading conditions. Joe Bates assesses the outlet's chances of success

As Pernod Ricard, Fortune Brands and Diageo integrate their purchases from the Allied Domecq sale into their portfolios, Joe Bates maps out a transformed duty-free whiskies category

New products and rave reviews are helping The Edrington Group to cast the spotlight on Highland Park, its acclaimed island malt. Joe Bates travelled to the Orkney Islands to discover why so many spirits experts rate this whisky above all others

Through the Global Airport Services (GAS) initiative, World Duty Free and partner Crossbar Associates have created a concept that they believe could sound the death knell for the tender model. The company, which aims to form joint ventures with airport authorities to run retail at their locations, has already spoken to potential partners, and GAS chairman Mark Riches is convinced the idea will succeed

As India's airport privatisation programme begins in earnest, the success of the project will be closely tied to the development of commercial revenues, writes Gavin Lipsith

Herbal liqueur Jägermeister continues to go from strength to strength in the US. Joe Bates talks to German brand owner Mast-Jägermeister about how the company plans to replicate that success in duty-free

As traditional liqueur brands reinvent themselves to appeal to a younger audience, duty-free operators have reported a mixed year for the most diverse liquor category of them all. By Joe Bates

PHILIPPINES. Philippine Airlines is to increase its product range across several categories in a bid to offset the drop in liquor and tobacco sales following the government's introduction of a "sin tax"

RUSSIA. Airport retailer Rus Hotel has renewed its contract to operate duty-free retail and bar operations at Nizhny Novgorod International airport

GERMANY. Gebr Heinemann has opened a 100sq m (1,080sq ft) fashion accessories outlet at Düsseldorf airport pier A

UK. World Duty Free is to be the exclusive stockist of two new Baileys flavours for the first six months after their introduction

PARAGUAY. Bright Star Group, the owner of Paraguayan duty-free retailer Bright Star Duty Free, is to enter the airport food and beverage business with the launch of a Havanna coffee shop at Asunción Silvio Petirossi airport

ICELAND. Leifur Eiríksson Air Terminal (LEAT) has reached the final stage of talks with 12 companies over retail concessions at Keflavik International airport's renovated international terminal

FRANCE. The latest sales index from French travel-retail organisation Association Française du Commerce du Voyageur (AFCOV) reveals improving sales in the second quarter of 2005

SPAIN. National airport authority AENA has decided the winners of the tender for newly-created duty-paid outlets in Palma de Mallorca airport modules A and D, DFNI understands

CANADA. Competition for the duty-free contract at Vancouver International airport will be fierce as two more international operators confirmed their participation in the tender

NETHERLANDS. Paul Global Supply—formerly Paul Wholesale—has secured an extension to its retail contract at Eindhoven airport, which officially opens its expanded terminal later this month

The rapid commercialisation of eastern Europe's airports will be a key topic at the Baltic and East European Travel Retail Conference in St Petersburg on November 23–25, with representatives from some of the region's busiest and fastest-growing airports participating in discussions

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MALTA. The Nuance Group has acquired Maltese airport retailer and inflight concessionaire Air Supplies & Catering from Air Malta, DFNI has learned

URUGUAY. Operators of arrivals outlets in Uruguay have welcomed the government's move to raise liquor and tobacco allowances for the second time this year

SWEDEN. Inflight Service's new owner has pledged to bring "more than money" to the company as it seeks to build on the Swedish retailer and distributor's market position

LATIN AMERICA. European Travel Retail Council secretary general Keith Spinks has welcomed the stance by Latin American trade association ASUTIL with regard to the threat to duty-free tobacco sales

US. After a long legal wrangle over the status of the duty-free contract at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International airport, Duty Free Air and Ship Supply (DFASS) looks likely to be the new operator at the location

MAURITIUS. Staff incentives, new products and the introduction of modern trolleys making products more visible have prompted a 13% sales increase in Air Mauritius' onboard retail programme

LATIN AMERICA. The ninth ASUTIL conference closed in Buenos Aires last week amid celebrations marking the tenth anniversary of the Latin American trade association

ITALY. Rome Fiumicino and Ciampino airport authority Aeroporti di Roma (AdR) has announced an 8.7% increase in EBITDA in the first half of 2005, with improvements in duty-free retailing a key factor according to parent company Macquarie Airports

KOSOVO. Aer Rianta International (ARI) has described its 10-year duty-free contract at Pristina International airport in Kosovo as a "key strategic win in Eastern Europe"

The Edrington Group will launch its new The Famous Grouse malt whisky range at the TFWA World Exhibition in Cannes

Scotch whisky manufacturer Morrison Bowmore is to launch three duty-free exclusive 12yo malt whiskies at this year's TFWA World Exhibition

US duty-free distributor Chase International has reported strong sales increases for its growing liqueurs portfolio

Bacardi-Martini is running its Bacardi B-Bar promotion at London Gatwick south terminal until October 28 in partnership with World Duty Free (WDF)

The newly-formed Asia Pacific Travel Retail Association (APTRA) has appointed a committee to monitor the threat to duty-free tobacco sales in the region

Franco-Spanish tobacco firm Altadis's recently-acquired 50% stake in Aldeasa has helped the group to achieve a 3% increase in net profit in the first half of 2005

Tobacco sales at Keflavik International airport in Iceland were up by almost 20% in June, July and August following the opening of Duty Free Store's arrivals megastore

Turkish retailer Unifree Duty Free has revealed details of the product offer at its new store at Dalaman airport, where tobacco will form a prominent part of the assortment

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The Kaner Group of Companies is planning to extend the beauty offer at its store at Ercan airport in northern Cyprus

Perfumes y Diseño has revealed plans to introduce an haute couture fragrance, J.del Pozo in Black

Bonardo Travel Retail has reported double-digit growth in sales of So...? fragrances for the year to date following the implementation of an ambitious expansion strategy

Parfum Marquay has signed an agreement with Star Asia to distribute its Lulu Castagnette fragrance in domestic and duty-free markets in Asia/Pacific

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Colours & Fragrances' shop at Kuala Lumpur International airport (KLIA) has secured the Speciality Store—Most Supportive Shopping Outlet accolade at this year's Malaysian Tourism Awards

Helena Rubinstein is to introduce anti-ageing cream Gold Future, its first skincare treatment with gold particles

Virgin Atlantic Airways has opened a new spa at its Clubhouse airport lounge at London Heathrow terminal three

Parfums Christian Dior will roll out its new Hydraction range in Europe, the western hemisphere and Oceania this month in a bid to expand its presence in the skincare market

The introduction of arrivals shopping at Oslo International airport (DFNI June 15) has changed the shopping habits of travellers, especially Norwegians who are buying bigger packs of confectionery

Eraman, the retail arm of Malaysia Airports (Niaga), has worked with Hawaiian Host and its regional agent Focus Network Agencies to create a tropical island display at Kuala Lumpur International airport.

Gourmet chocolate specialist Maxim's de Paris, which has collaborated successfully with Aelia for many years, is poised to launch its first travel-retail exclusive for the French retailer

Masterfoods International Travel Retail (MITR) will focus on its traditional strengths—children's gifts and products for sharing— in its line-up of new launches at the TFWA World Exhibition in Cannes this November (Green Village stand M71)

US-based retail systems manufacturer Zoom Systems plans to expand its business across the travel-retail industry

More gifts and electronics news

Singapore Changi airport hosted a month-long Barbie exhibition in August and has reported a knock-on effect at the airport's gifts and toys stores

Travel retailers are calling upon suppliers to enhance their product presentation in an attempt to encourage gifting

Finnish jewellery supplier Kalevala Koru has bought rival supplier Lapponia for an undisclosed sum. Lapponia specialises in modern, chunky jewellery and 18ct gold items across a variety of price points and was recently listed on board Starboard Cruise Services as part of the retailer's regional promotions programme

US-based jewellery supplier Angelique de Paris plans to increase its travel-retail operation from 15% of its total business to 25% by the end of the year

Australian jewellery supplier MKD has appointed Gecko as distributor for its fresh-water pearls and Lustre shell pearl collection in domestic and travel-retail markets in the UK and Ireland

UK-based jewellery supplier CW Sellors aims to increase its inflight presence this year after achieving listings on board British Airways and bmibaby in 2004

Australian supplier Wellington Jeweller has developed a range of non-jewellery products for gwp initiatives promoting its new Hidden Treasures range

The Police sunglasses brand has secured duty-free distribution in the Caribbean market

Belgian bag company Kipling has reported a 20% rise in sales of its autumn/winter Mini range

One of the oldest outdoor apparel brands in the US, Field & Stream, is to re-enter travel-retail and will open its first airport store at Minneapolis-St Paul International in November

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