AUSTRALIA. Sydney Airport's new duty-free contract, to be tendered in early 2006, will focus on the core categories of liquor, tobacco, fragrances, cosmetics and confectionery

LATIN AMERICA. Retailers across Latin America have enjoyed encouraging sales growth in the first half of 2005 as the regional recovery continues

More than 200 delegates are expected to attend the ASUTIL 2005 conference this month, the best turnout since before September 11 2001

Seventeen years ago this month, DFNI reported on one of the most crucial episodes in the development of Aer Rianta as a global force in duty-free

European Travel Retail Council secretary general Keith Spinks risked causing offence last month when he told DFNI that national and trade media should only hear of threats to travel-retail once they have been overturned. Although DFNI always strives to be the first with the news, we believe Spinks makes a valuable point

Destination merchandise needn't mean national clichés offered at rip-off prices, as a number of travel retailers are demonstrating

Sydney Airport's planned core category approach to duty-free is good news for its shareholders, but may not be welcomed by suppliers from emerging categories seeking a foothold at Australia's leading duty-free location

Readers in the UK will have noted the disruption caused by disgruntled Gate Gourmet employees and workers at London Heathrow airport last month

Macquarie Airports has appointed Alan Bork, one of the travel-retail industry's most experienced executives, as commercial development director at Brussels Zaventem International airport

The Nuance Group has restructured its operations in the Asia/Pacific region

More people and company news

For the first time in many years the Latin American industry is confident that sustainable recovery is under way. Retailers have recorded encouraging growth this year and the trend is set to continue. On the eve of the ninth ASUTIL conference, DFNI assesses the mood among some of the region's leading operators

There are times when trading in Latin America is not for the faint-hearted. Yet the region's travel-retail association ASUTIL has proved its staying power, and this year celebrates 10 years representing South American operators. DFNI talks to the association's president and co-founder Samuel Kauffmann about the association's past, present and future

After a long delay the Colombian government has issued tender documents for the management contract at Bogotá El Dorado International airport. John Gallagher examines the airport's expansion plans and identifies likely contenders

Brasif Duty Free Shop, South America's biggest travel retailer, has built the world's most successful arrivals duty-free business around returning Brazilian travellers. But now the company is setting its sights on new opportunities in departures duty-free, duty-paid shopping and domestic market retailing. Dermot Davitt reports

After the recent spate of consolidation in the beauty sector many retailers are contemplating the consequences. Tina Milton examines the trade's hopes and fears

InterBaires has carved a reputation as one of the world's most progressive retailers. Since the 2002 economic recession the company has made a strong comeback, as president and CEO Enrique Urioste tells John Gallagher

The recent launch of Lancôme's latest women's fragrance Hypnôse will be the focus of L'Oréal Luxury Products Division's efforts at Cannes this year. John Rimmer talks to the beauty house's new director of travel-retail worldwide Vincent Boinay

Creativity and exclusivity are driving the retail offer at Aelia's stores in France as the company fends off tough competition from the domestic market. Tina Milton reports from Paris on the retailer's vision for the beauty category

As the Colombian government prepares to privatise Bogotá El Dorado International airport, John Gallagher assesses the effects of the trend on retailers at other airports in Latin America

TURKEY. Retailer Onur Ekspres is seeking duty-free opportunities in Russia in a bid to continue the expansion of its inflight and ground store operations

EGYPT. The partnership between EgyptAir Duty Free Shops and Aer Rianta International–Middle East has opened its luxury retail outlet in Cairo's City Stars shopping complex in the city's Heliopolis district

SINGAPORE. Dufry Singapore and Boon & Co, the main electronics concessionaires at Singapore Changi terminal one, are the two bidders for a three-year lifestyle electronics contract at the airport

RUSSIA. The opening of Moscow travel retailer RegStaer's new luxury goods outlet at Vnukovo airport has been postponed owing to disruption caused by construction work

SPAIN/INTERNATIONAL. Spanish travel retailer Aldeasa reported profits of €9.99m ($12m) in the first six months of 2005, a year-on-year fall of 16.9%

INTERNATIONAL. V&S Absolut Spirits president of global duty-free Erik Juul-Mortensen is to become the new head of liquor distribution company Maxxium Global Travel Retail (GTR), effective from October 2005

BARBADOS. Bidders including Motta Internacional, Aer Rianta International (ARI) and Duty Free Caribbean (DFC) have been warned of a delay in the retail tender at Grantley Adams International airport after a dispute put the process on hold

CANADA. Aer Rianta International has submitted a management consultancy proposal among its options for duty-free retail at Vancouver International airport, following the passing of the deadline for proposals

BRAZIL. Strong tourism growth to Brazil has prompted a surge in spending at Brasif Duty Free Shop's departures stores, and partially reversed the traditional dominance of arrivals duty-free in Brasif's business

BULGARIA. Six retailers are appealing to the supreme administrative court to delay several tenders for border duty-free licences called for by finance minister Milen Velchev until the new duty-free bill clarifying selection criteria is adopted

Eastern Europe's leading retailers have pledged their support for the Baltic and East European Travel Retail Conference, to be held in St Petersburg on November 23-25

IRAQ. Political upheaval resulting from attempts to agree Iraq's new constitution has delayed the adoption of a compromise over liquor sales at Baghdad International airport

GREECE. Hellenic Duty Free Shops posted a year-on-year increase in turnover of 12.6% to €97.9m ($118m) in the first half of 2005

NEW ZEALAND. Wellington Airport has invited eight retailers to bid for the location's duty-free concession, the airport has confirmed

SINGAPORE. DFS Group and Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore have finalised an agreement to extend DFS's liquor and tobacco concession until the opening of Singapore Changi airport's new terminal three (DFNI May 1)

SOUTH KOREA. A new 32-gate concourse at Seoul Incheon airport will add 6,500sq m (70,000sq ft) of duty-free space when it is completed in 2008, Incheon International Airport Corp (IIAC) has told DFNI

UK. Manchester International airport is considering plans to extend its total retail space in terminal one from 44,000sq ft (4,090sq m) to 75,000sq ft (6,970sq m)

POLAND. Warsaw Frederic Chopin International airport has received expressions of interest from over 20 companies for retail and catering contracts at the airport's new terminal two (DFNI August 1)

AUSTRALIA. Brisbane International airport has received expressions of interest from almost 100 companies for commercial space at its expanded international terminal, due to open in late 2007

HONG KONG. Airport Authority Hong Kong has received almost 600 expressions of interest in the 135 retail and catering outlets it is to open in Hong Kong International airport's SkyPlaza development

More retail news

DUTCH CARIBBEAN. The deadline for bids for retail and catering concessions at Princess Juliana International airport on St Maarten passed on August 15

UK. New Zealand-based airports operator Infratil has launched a tender for tax- and duty-free retail at Glasgow Prestwick airport

Haleybrooke International has secured an agreement to distribute Spanish cava brand Freixenet in the US duty-free market

Family-run US travel retailer Puente Concessions has opened a wine store at Dallas Fort Worth airport's new international terminal D, which opened in July

Duty-free operator Flemingo International has noted a big increase in liquor sales at its Indian stores this year, the retailer has told DFNI

Cross-Channel ferry operator SeaFrance has reported strong sales increases on promoted liquor, beers and wines on board its new ship Berlioz, which came into service in March

US cigar supplier JC Newman is to launch several branded humidors to celebrate its 110th anniversary this year

The Vietnamese government is considering a ban on duty-free tobacco sales at airports and border stores, DFNI has learned. Industry campaigners are working with local operator Imex Pan-Pacific to assess the threat

Baghdad International airport duty-free operator Iraq Duty Free has reported strong business in premium cigars, with the number of US visitors through the airport boosting sales of Cuban brands in particular

Cigar supplier CAO unveiled several new products at the annual Retail Tobacco Dealers of America show in New Orleans last month including its first licensed product, for Home Box Office's (HBO) award-winning mafia drama series The Sopranos

Mäurer + Wirtz plans to expand from its European base to become a more international player on the travel-retail market

Aer Rianta International (ARI) has revealed further details of its plans to extend beauty space at Moscow Domodedovo airport after it secured two lots in airport authority East Line's tender in April

TAP-Air Portugal is to make changes to the duty-free range featured in the next issue of inflight catalogue On Air by slimming down the selection of beauty products to give extra space to gift items

The travel-retail industry has given a mixed response to the recent round of consolidation in the beauty sector

Nuance-Watson (Singapore) has opened a new beauty store, Glam Up, at Singapore Changi terminal one (RavenFox.com May 31)

Skincare brand Spa Sciences is to make its travel-retail debut with Stena Line ferries in October

Chanel's 40sq m (430sq ft) nail bar in World Duty Free's London Heathrow terminal three store has enjoyed a 90% sales conversion rate since it opened in February

North American retailer Hudson Group has launched a new gourmet food/kitchenware concept called Vancouver Kitchen, as first revealed in DFNI August 1

Chocolaterie Bernard Callebaut, which first started producing handmade chocolates in Calgary 22 years ago and has subsequently established a network of franchised stores in domestic markets, has opened its first airport shop, at Calgary International

Toms Confectionery has reported strong initial sales at its Anthon Berg shop-in-shop at Copenhagen Kastrup airport, where it is working in partnership with The Nuance Group

UK electronics retailer Dixons Tax Free has reported that its new store at London Heathrow airport terminal one has performed ahead of expectations throughout the summer months

UK-based toys, gadgets and gifts distributor The Wandering Monkey is to enter the travel-retail market and is seeking to operate its own outlets

Global optical brand Bushnell plans to expand its presence in duty-free and has launched sports binoculars with built-in cameras

In a bid to capitalise on an increase in cruiseship passengers, Abbotts Jewellery opened a second jewellery port store in St John's in Antigua this summer

Canadian gem and jewellery supplier Korite International has opened two shop-in-shops in the Cayman Islands

US distributor Round Hill Duty Free has acquired the worldwide distribution rights for Timex International and its fashion watch brands FCUK, Timberland, Reebok and Opex in duty-free and travel-retail markets

UK watchmaker Rotary plans to offer domestic and travel retailers the chance to buy custom-designed watches

More jewellery news

Ermenegildo Zegna is to develop leathergoods and accessories-only boutiques in travel-retail following the opening of similar stores downtown

More fashion news

Marc O'Polo is to open a new stand-alone store at Frankfurt airport

The winners of Hugo Boss's first global travel-retail promotion, themed around Formula One, were announced last month