ITALY. Airport authority Aeroporti di Roma (AdR) has confirmed that The Nuance Group plans to withdraw from Rome Fiumicino airport

The Nuance Group Asia Pacific has appointed Rick Lowry to the new role of regional chief operating officer, based in Australia

Dufry Group has announced the appointment of two former Aldeasa executives to its senior management team

Raven Fox is pleased to announce the appointment of Karen Lindsay as advertising manager on DFNI and sister magazine Travel Retailer International

More people and company news

This year's Nordic Travel Retail Seminar will be held on May 25–26 on board Color Line's cruiseship Color Fantasy

Following the Czech Republic's entry into the EU last May and a boom in tourism, Prague Ruzyne airport has been forced to expand to cope with rapid growth in traffic volumes. The developments will usher in a new era for retailing at the location, writes Kevin Rozario

Political uncertainty in Ukraine over the past few years has left the country's border retailing industry in chaos. But the recent election result promises stability, order and growth. Gavin Lipsith examines the prospects for border operators in the emerging eastern European powerhouse

ACI Europe's new director general Roy Griffins has an impressive pedigree in the aviation business, having helped shape UK transport policy at the highest level for a number of years. Now he hopes to bring that experience to bear as the head of Europe's airports. John Rimmer talks to Griffins about the challenges ahead

Guest commentator Nigel Dolby

By Dermot Davitt Executive Editor

The fashion offer in some terminals looks as if it was created exclusively for the wealthy. But as penetration rates continue to fall, Kevin Rozario discovers that retailers are keen to make their assortment more accessible

Moscow's most dynamic airport is growing fast, as is space for new retail operations. Padraic Convery and John Rimmer report on the latest developments at Domodedovo

By Gavin Lipsith Retail News Editor

By John Rimmer Editor

At last year's ACI Europe Airport Trading Conference, Vienna Airport executive vice-president consumer services Michael Tmej told delegates that growth in passenger numbers had not yet led to an increase in retail revenues. But as he explains to Gavin Lipsith, the airport and its concessionaires are beginning to capitalise on the sustained rise in traffic

As anticipation mounts over BAA's plans for London Heathrow terminal five, the airport owner has continued an ambitious investment programme at its three Scottish airports. The work achieved so far synthesises what BAA believes are its most effective retailing methods. John Rimmer reports

INDIA. India's state-owned duty-free operator India Tourism Development Corp (ITDC) is embroiled in a dispute with its leading liquor supplier UDV India, a division of Diageo

UK. Newcastle International airport has teamed up with bespoke multimedia service Airport TV in a bid to boost retail sales

GERMANY. Frankfurt International airport is to add 3,000sq m (32,300sq ft) of retail space to terminal one's hall B by the first quarter of 2006

VIETNAM. Imex Pan-Pacific, Vietnam's dominant airport and border duty-free operator, is forecasting sales to leap from $65m last year to $100m in 2005

PUERTO RICO. Bared Group of Companies enjoyed "the best year in the history of the company" in 2004, according to president Luis Bared Sr

ICELAND. A new promotional strategy from low-cost carrier Iceland Express and inflight retail concessionaire Saxa has paid dividends, with items on promotion now representing 30% of the airline's inflight sales

SPAIN. Aldeasa has announced full-year profits of Eu33.39m ($43.93m), an increase of 16.9% on the previous 12 months

US. The Nuance Group North America is to focus on expanding its US business this year

SINGAPORE. Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) is pressing ahead with its plan to build Asia's first dedicated terminal for low-cost carriers

ITALY. Airport authority SEA Aeroporti di Milano is planning renovations to retail space at Milan Malpensa and Linate airports

SOUTH AFRICA. Tourvest Duty Free managing director Maurice Hartshorne is to take up a new role within the South African tourism and retail group after six years heading its travel-retail business

RUSSIA. Moscow Domodedovo airport authority East Line has issued a tender for 600sq m (6,460sq ft) of new retail space on the upper floor of the main terminal building

AUSTRIA. Vienna International airport will shortly begin detailed planning for its new Skylink terminal, executive vice-president consumer services Michael Tmej has told DFNI

NETHERLANDS. A partnership between Kappé Schiphol and KLM Tax Free Services is to open Amsterdam Schiphol airport's biggest retail outlet on March 2

MALAYSIA. Colours & Fragrances and Chocolate Sales & Supplies parent company DR Group Holdings has confirmed its interest in operating the retail space at a new duty-free store planned at the ferry passenger terminal at Labuan in Malaysia

PORTUGAL. Travel retailer Lojas Francas de Portugal (LFP), a joint venture between The Nuance Group and Portuguese flag carrier TAP Air Portugal subsidiary TAPGER, is exploring the possibility of opening a new duty-free shop at Praia International airport on the island of Santiago, the capital of the Cape Verde archipelago

Fender Tobacco is to launch a new super-premium cigarette brand, After Hours, in travel-retail this month

Imperial Tobacco has rebranded its super-premium cigarette brand Davidoff

KLM Tax Free Services has been granted an improved location for its planned cigar and whisky outlet in Amsterdam Schiphol airport's renovated Schengen lounge

Airport authority SEA Aeroporti di Milano is to prioritise the beauty category when it extends and refurbishes the duty-free store at Milan Malpensa terminal one

Cofinluxe chairman Jean-Pierre Grivory has revealed that the company will focus on expansion plans for its Morgan, Salvador Dalí and Andy Warhol licences in the Chinese and Latin American markets in the coming year

Puig Prestige Beauté, a division of Puig Group, is to shed 124 staff as part of a reorganisation of its activities in France

Mäurer + Wirtz will reveal its new fragrance Fishbone from the New Yorker fashion label in March

Coty has added three new licences to its fragrance portfolio

Abu Dhabi Duty Free (ADDF) has suspended its strategy of offering duty-paid beauty items at downtown prices after gaining support for its crackdown on the grey market from several suppliers across the industry

Kuala Lumpur International airport (KLIA) operator Colours & Fragrances posted a year-on-year increase in sales of 40% in 2004

Chanel has doubled its space in World Duty Free's London Heathrow terminal three store and introduced its first nail bar concept offering fast pampering treatments to passengers before they travel

Favarger, one of Switzerland's oldest and most traditional chocolate specialists, is taking its first steps into travel-retail by combining the appeal of two of the country's most famous products: fondue and chocolate

Walkers Nonsuch has introduced an English version of a continental favourite

UK chocolate company Elizabeth Shaw has rationalised its distribution arrangements in travel-retail

Bouchard L'Escaut is steadily integrating fellow Belgian chocolatier Daskalides after a low-key takeover at the end of last summer and is starting to formulate travel-retail plans for a select number of Daskalides products

Hawaiian Host is launching stand-up bags of sugar-free, individually wrapped pieces at the Duty Free Show of the Americas in Fort Lauderdale next month (booth 2039)

German imaging specialist Looxis has opened a new store at Frankfurt airport

Plush toy supplier Russ Berrie has announced new licensing agreements with Marvel Comics, Warner Bros and Dreamworks

More gifts and electronics news

German toy company Nici has signed a licensing agreement with Ferrari to supply plush toys for the Italian brand

UK-based Scorpio Distributors is to build on its domestic business following a company restructure

Danish jewellery brand Pilgrim has expanded its head office and increased its specialist duty-free team from two people to five following growth in its domestic and duty-free businesses in 2004

Watchmaker Raymond Weil is to introduce more products designed especially for duty-free markets

Monaco-based pearl and jewellery house Misaki has launched a range of jewellery aimed specifically at the inflight market and has introduced a new inflight product catalogue for 2005

US jewellery supplier Angélique de Paris hopes to consolidate its business in the US and Canada and increase its presence in Asia and Europe in 2005

More jewellery news

Budget fashion and accessories brand Bijoux Terner, whose tag line in the US is "luxury at $10", is to expand its store network in European airports

Luxury fashion house Zilli is opening a new corner at Almaty airport in Kazakhstan in association with Gebr Heinemann at the end of April

The Nuance Group has opened a stand-alone store for fashion brand Esprit at Geneva airport in a bid to bring more accessible high-street fashion to airport consumers

Danish jewellery brand Pilgrim has diversified from its core category with a new range of sunglasses