INTERNATIONAL. Dufry Group CEO Julián Díaz has voiced his company's disappointment over losing the bidding race for Spanish rival Aldeasa, but has vowed to seize future opportunities in the Spanish airport retail market

Hong Kong International Airport CEO David Pang is to be the keynote speaker at this year's GATE ONE conference, organised by TFWA and ACI

Digital & Wireless is to sponsor the Americas Inflight Retailer of the Year award at the inaugural Raven Fox Awards for Travel-Retail Excellence in the Americas

More people and company news

Los Angeles World Airports (LAX) has reshuffled its concession management team following the departure of several key staff

Daniel Galvin is to re-join Aer Rianta International–Middle East this month as general manager of Qatar Duty Free

The life and work of Dr Brendan O'Regan, who established the first modern duty-free shop at Shannon airport in 1947, has been documented and collected by the National Museum of Ireland

The Duty Free Show of the Americas heads south to Fort Lauderdale this year in a move that has prompted excitement and not a little scepticism. Michael Payne, executive director at organiser International Association of Airport Duty Free Stores, tells John Rimmer why he feels a fresh start will bring benefits for buyers and exhibitors

As the Baselworld 2005 show gets under way, Lorna Strickland talks to retailers and suppliers across the globe to assess the health of the duty-free watch market

By Dermot Davitt Executive Editor

Guest commentator Nigel Dolby

The retailer's encouraging results are good news for travel-retail

DFNI speaks to Swatch Group brand Tissot about its travel-retail ambitions and discovers what it hopes to gain from this year's Baselworld show. Lorna Strickland reports

The 14th ACI Europe Airport Trading Conference, held in Zürich on March 10–11, offered delegates a glimpse of travel-retail's potential if all stakeholders work together to build the business. John Rimmer reports on the highlights of this year's event

By John Gallagher Spain and Latin America Editor and Gavin Lipsith Retail News Editor

By John Rimmer Editor

By Gavin Lipsith Retail News Editor

INTERNATIONAL. Airports Council International has welcomed the development of a new contract model that could put an end to conflict between landlords and their retail tenants

MEDITERRANEAN SEA. As DFNI went to press, fears were growing for a confectionery supplier believed to be drifting aimlessly on a raft of new initiatives

US. Recent sales figures from DFS Group's downtown and airport operations in Los Angeles show that the retailer's steady recovery has continued in the early part of 2005

MIDDLE EAST. New areas for fragrances, watches and toys will be the central features of a refurbishment of Beirut Duty Free in the coming months, according to Aer Rianta International–Middle East (ARI–ME) managing director John Sutcliffe

US/ARGENTINA. Argentinian retailer InterBaires has stated its interest in the duty-free tender at Miami International airport

BAHRAIN. Bahrain Duty Free and Bahrain Airport Services have won government approval to expand and redevelop commercial areas at Bahrain International airport

HONG KONG. Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK) is to broaden the scope of its retail operations in order to capture consumers not traditionally catered for at Hong Kong International airport

CANADA. A 1,700sq m (18,300sq ft) duty-free store will be the focus of retailing at Toronto Lester B Pearson terminal one's new international pier, which opens in early 2007

FRANCE. Aelia will open its first multi-category duty-free store at Paris Charles de Gaulle airport terminal 2E later this year

CROATIA. Duty-free sales at Dubrovnik airport hit a record high last year as tourist traffic to the Croatian resort continued to rise

JAPAN. Japan's second busiest airport Osaka Kansai has completed the renovation and expansion of its brand boutiques

FRANCE. French travel-retail association Association Française du Commerce du Voyageur (AFCOV) has released its final sales index for 2004, showing stable but depressed year-on-year sales in the final quarter

SPAIN. Airport authority AENA has postponed its long-awaited tender for a 1,110sq m (11,836sq ft) duty-paid shop at Tenerife South airport in the Canary Islands

PARAGUAY. Duty-free sales at Asunción Silvio Pettirossi International airport in 2005 have so far matched the record results of 2004, according to retailer Bright Star Duty Free.

TURKEY. The duty-free operation at the Kapikule border zone between Turkey and Bulgaria is to be modernised under a build-operate-transfer contract for facilities at the crossing

GERMANY. Frankfurt airport is to open its first dedicated arrivals Travel Value store by the beginning of 2006, according to airport authority Fraport

Bacardi Global Brands is to introduce the first apple-flavoured rum at this month's Duty Free Show of the Americas in Fort Lauderdale

US-based duty-free distributor Imagination Unlimited International (IUI), run by owner Lars Johansson and his wife Bev, has become the global duty-free representative of Canadian wine group Vincor International

Glenmorangie has launched a new travel-retail exclusive reference, Glenmorangie Sauternes Wood Finish 15yo

Rémy Martin will present a repackaged version of its top-of-the-range cognac, Rémy Martin Louis XIII, at Fort Lauderdale this month

Chivas Brothers has introduced a permanent 38yo line extension to its growing super-premium blended whisky brand Royal Salute

Japan Tobacco International (JTI) is to exhibit at next month's TFWA Asia Pacific exhibition for the first time, marking a change in the company's approach to regional travel-retail

LEBANON. Several flights from Beirut International airport were delayed last month as passengers struggled to find their way out of Beirut Duty Free's new cigar shop

Philip Morris has announced plans to acquire a controlling stake in Indonesian tobacco manufacturer Sampoerna

Franco-Spanish tobacco manufacturer Altadis has appointed Montevideo-based agency Pramsa as its duty-free distributor for Latin America, effective May 1

Anti-tobacco organisation ASH is campaigning to further restrict duty-free sales in Thailand

Sales of Villiger brands at key locations prove that merchandising, presentation and staff training are more important than price in driving sales, the Swiss machine-made cigar manufacturer has told DFNI

Weruska & Joel and Lotto Sport Italia have entered a partnership to develop and distribute a fragrance portfolio

High-end skincare brand La Prairie has introduced its first fragrance, Silver Rain

Clarins Group enjoyed 5% year-on-year travel-retail sales growth during 2004.

UK. Beauty supplier Rooster International has unveiled its new fragrance line, Horsing Around, aimed at the burgeoning animal scent market

Aelia is preparing to launch French Riviera, its exclusive cosmetics palette designed by Lancôme

L'Oréal Luxury Products International skincare brand Biotherm has secured several new sites across Asia and Europe to continue its worldwide roll-out

Skincare brand Jurlique is building its business in Asia through its worldwide duty-free agent Escale Group, moving into Singapore Changi, Macau and Shanghai Pudong airports

More confectionery news

Cloetta Fazer was embroiled in a takeover struggle as DFNI went to press

Fortnum and Mason has opened its first stand-alone store in travel-retail

A "talking jar" will spearhead The Jelly Belly Candy Company's line-up of new launches on the stand of distributor Alfa Brands (booth 617/619) at the Duty Free Show of the Americas at Fort Lauderdale this month

Perfetti van Melle has created a new Mentos concept to ensure that travel retailers can offer flavours that remain unavailable on their respective domestic markets

Indian luxury stationer Nightingale has entered the duty-free market for the first time through an exclusive supply deal with India Tourism Development Corp (ITDC)

Plush toy supplier Russ Berrie has predicted a 15% increase in travel-retail sales and expects 2005 to be its best year yet

Danish children's toy supplier Lego is continuing to focus on the inflight market with two new exclusive references for 2005, a logoed model aeroplane and a vintage aircraft model

US electronics supplier and retailer Bose opened a store at Boston Logan airport terminal A last month

Israel-based electronics retailer Sakal Group has cut its prices by up to 80% in a bid to tempt consumers back to its duty-free electronics stores

German miniature camera supplier Minox has introduced a large-screen digital camera, the DC-5222 in travel-retail markets

UK-based Zero Group is diversifying into the audio market with the launch of the Zero 4Gb Music-Rak high-density music storage and a new 256Mb MP3 player playback device

IRELAND. The viability of the duty-free business in Ireland is under threat after the government announced it would ban the sale of Irish linen products such as doylies and tablecloths, the staple purchase of American tourists

Swiss writing instruments supplier Caran d'Ache achieved its best sales in its home market and on board airlines in 2004

US watch supplier Fossil has signed a new licensing agreement with Adidas to produce and distribute its branded watches

Swiss watchmaker Frédérique Constant has signed a distribution deal with Falic Group retail subsidiary UETA

Finland-based electronic watchmaker Suunto has signed an exclusive duty-free and travel-retail distribution deal with Netherlands-based Sea & Sky Supply

Writing instruments supplier Sanford Group, owner of the Parker, Waterman and Rotring brands, has closed its duty-free division following a company review and restructure

Optician David Clulow has said it is seeking to expand its airport retail portfolio

BAA is to open a Fat Face outlet at London Heathrow terminal one next month following a "very successful" opening of the ski and leisure fashion brand's Gatwick airport store

Marc O'Polo has opened an airside store at Oslo International airport, giving the Swedish company its first presence in the Scandinavian airport market

Outdoor and sportswear brand Kway is being introduced into travel-retail by Italian marketing group Network Partners following the creation of a dedicated collection