AUSTRALIA. The Nuance Group looks set to retain its crucial contract at Sydney International airport after being named as the preferred bidder in the fiercely contested tender

RUSSIA. Dufry Group has been awarded the licence to operate retail and catering at Moscow Sheremetyevo airport's new terminal one, due to open in January next year

INDIA. Bangalore International Airport Ltd (BIAL) has called for expressions of interest in its duty-free and food and beverage concessions

The Nuance Group's likely victory in the Sydney airport duty-free tender has prompted an unsurprising outpouring of cynicism from its rival retailers

Builders at Moscow Sheremetyevo must live in a state of terminal confusion

The past fortnight in duty-free has offered a revealing contrast of life in Old and New India

Six years ago this month, with typical restraint and lack of hyperbole, DFNI reported on the creation of a "French duty-free superpower" as Aeroboutique owner Hachette Distribution Services announced its acquisition of Saresco

This issue of DFNI marks the departure of editor John Rimmer after more than six years with publisher Raven Fox. His successor James Featherstone took over on July 31

More people and company news

Unwieldy US Customs and security regulations cost travel retailers huge sums of money each year. But can lengthy processes be streamlined for commercial gain without compromising safety? Tina Milton and Lorna Strickland investigate

Coaxing greater spend from US customers would benefit retailers across the globe. Emily Pacey asks researchers and retailers from Europe and Asia about how to tempt America's travelling millions to part with their money

The liquor business on the US–Canada border faces several challenges, but the category is holding steady as border store operators fight back with innovative promotions and merchandising tactics. Joe Bates reports

Alpha Airports Group's new CEO Peter Williams is the latest—and most prominent—high street recruit to the travel-retail industry. The former CEO of Selfridges has spent his first two months at the company fighting fires, but is now determined to turn around Alpha's fortunes in its home market and build mass in its international business. In the DFNI Interview, he explains how he plans to achieve it

Luxury brand Montblanc dominates the writing instruments market in travel-retail, but even when smaller brands are available, retailer opinion is divided about where best to position them in-store. Lorna Strickland talks to operators about the challenges they face

Rum is being touted as a genuine rival to Scotch whisky as demand for aged, super-premium products grows. But are these predictions premature as far as duty-free is concerned? Joe Bates investigates

More retail news

MALTA. Malta International airport's arrivals shops have been relocated as part of a complete renovation of the facility

More retail news

POLAND. Copernicus Wroclaw airport in western Poland is finalising plans for a second passenger terminal

US. HMSHost has won the tenders for food and beverage and duty-free outlets at Oakland International airport

BARBADOS. A joint venture between Aer Rianta International (ARI) and Caribbean Airways has been awarded several concessions at Barbados Grantley Adams International airport following a drawn-out tender process originally due to be concluded last May

KUWAIT. Madrid-based duty-free operator Aldeasa opened a new 220sq m (2,367sq ft) fragrances outlet plus an adjoining 68sq m (732sq ft) boutique at Kuwait International airport at the beginning of July

LEBANON. As the conflict between Israel and the Hezbollah movement continues, Beirut Rafik Hariri International airport remains closed following its targeting by Israeli bombers

SINGAPORE. DFS Group has been awarded almost 5,000sq ft (465sq m) of luxury boutique space at Singapore Changi airport following a tender for seven luxury brand concessions in terminal two departures and transit hall

CAMBODIA/HONG KONG. Dufry Group is to open a gifts store at Hong Kong International airport's new SkyPlaza in partnership with Cambodian handicrafts company Artisans d'Angkor

AFRICA. Duty-free operator Saresco Afrique has predicted a sales increase of 33% by the end of the year following a store refurbishment programme

EUROPE. The Travel Retail Fair Payment Alliance (FPA), the group campaigning for a reduction in the fees retailers must pay to credit card companies, has expressed optimism that changes will be made following a public hearing on the issue held last month.

GREECE. Greek jeweller Folli Follie has increased its stake in national travel retailer Hellenic Duty Free Shops to 52.28%

INDIA. Despite revisions to terms and conditions that some predicted would deter international companies from bidding, the duty-free tender at 10 Indian airports has attracted bids from several big retailers

INTERNATIONAL. In its first-half results announced on July 25, LVMH Moët Hennessy-Louis Vuitton reported revenue of €6.97bn ($8.82bn), representing organic growth of 12%

SRI LANKA. Alpha Asia has re-opened its departures store at Colombo International airport following an extensive refit

US. BAA USA has unveiled plans to expand the retail facilities at two of its three US airports

Greater floor space and new merchandising techniques at The Nuance Group's new store at Bristol International airport (DFNI July 1) have boosted the wine and champagne categories

Heineken International won a three-year inflight pouring contract on board all British Airways flights last month

Pernod Ricard Travel Retail America's duty-free business along the US borders with Canada and Mexico has grown significantly since the company's purchase of Allied Domecq last summer

Captain Morgan rum, the seventh best-selling liquor brand worldwide, is enjoying strong growth in key duty-free markets in the US and Europe, according to owner Diageo

The Indian government has distributed notification of new labelling regulations for tobacco products that are due to come into effect on January 1 2007

Marlboro manufacturer Philip Morris has launched a new extension to its flagship brand in a bid to increase market share in the growing low-price cigarette sector

South Korean tobacco supplier Korea Tobacco & Ginseng Corp (KT&G) has reported a 16% rise in second-quarter profit compared with the same period last year, dismissing concerns that a recently-introduced ban on sales to Korean military personnel would be damaging

Hoyo de Monterrey welcomes little brother

The Cambodian government has destroyed 2.5m counterfeit cigarettes that it seized earlier in the year as a signal that it plans to toughen its stance on intellectual property rights

Inflight retail sources have supported MyTravel Airways Scandinavia's move to delist all products from Parfums Christian Dior following a disagreement about pricing (DFNI July 15)

Inflight Service has opened a 40sq m (430sq ft) fragrances and cosmetics shop at Poland's Wroclaw Copernicus airport

Coty has signed an exclusive deal with pop star Kylie Minogue to develop and market a fragrance line. It will be the Australian actress and singer's first step into the fragrance market

Nuance-Watson (HK) plans to dedicate more space to the growing cosmeceutical—part cosmetic, part pharmaceutical—sector at its Temptation Duty Free fragrance and cosmetics stores at Hong Kong International airport (HKIA)

Several brands in the beauty category have been tipped for success in this year's Brands to Watch survey in The Duty-Free & Travel-Retail Database & Directory 2006/2007, published by Raven Fox

Lancôme is testing a new travel-retail back-wall concept at airport stores in Europe that will feature key words highlighting the qualities of its anti-ageing products

How vital is it to offer big price savings to Scandinavian consumers?

US agent Alfa Brands has been appointed to represent the Californian candy and snacks company Taste of Nature, which manufactures a wide range of confectionery aimed mainly at children and featuring licensed character products

Singaporean confectionery distributor Distriworld has signed its first agreement since sealing a joint-venture deal with an investment group last month (DFNI July 15)

GTR Sales, the specialist distribution company set up by former Genesis Distribution director David Spillane last year, has developed a children's confectionery concept based on 25 well-known licensed characters, including Winnie The Pooh, Batman and SpongeBob SquarePants

If you are under the impression that becoming a distributor would lead to a life of rich pickings in return for very little work, it is time to think again

Domestic and duty-free toy retailer Hamleys announced plans to grow its global duty-free retail business last month

Electronics supplier SMJ has introduced a line of electrical travel appliances to its product range available in UK duty-free and travel-retail markets

UK supplier Premier Portfolio has developed a line of destination-specific gift items. The range, which consists of 24 items with more in development, includes stationery, pens and travel fans

Italian jewellery supplier Nomination is rolling out Man, its dedicated jewellery line for men

Hellenic Duty Free Shops subsidiary Hellenic Distributions has completed the acquisition of UK jewellery, watches and luxury goods brand Links of London in a £45m ($83.3m) deal

Italian duty-free jewellery agent Reflecta Consulting plans to expand its range of jewellery developed exclusively for individual retailers

Monaco-based supplier Zeades has developed a number of unisex and men's jewellery and watch ranges

UK high street sports shop operator JD Sports is the latest fashion retailer to develop its business in the UK airport market

The trend towards tribal tattoos on the club circuit that has become a mainstream fashion has made it into travel-retail with a recent trial concept at Dublin airport

Manchester airport terminal one, the location's highest-yielding terminal, is to benefit from a £25m ($46.5m) facelift.

Oakland International airport in California, where HMSHost has been awarded a 12-year retail and catering contract, will open the first airport Vella's Locker Room, a sports apparel and souvenir retail concept dedicated to American football team Oakland Raiders