HONG KONG. Sky Connection has secured a five-year deal to operate arrivals and departures outlets at the new rail crossing between Hong Kong and mainland China

SPAIN. Airport authority AENA is expected to launch a tender for the travel-retail and duty-free concession at 17 Spanish airports later this month

Berry Bros & Rudd's announcement last month that it is to shut all four of its fine wine stores at London Heathrow, ending a 12-year presence at the UK's biggest airport, will have surprised many in the industry

Among the highlights of the Gate One conference this year was a panel on non-retail revenues, featuring presentations from airport advertising and catering companies

Tobacco and travel-retail executives hoping for a show of support from airport authorities in the campaign to save duty-free tobacco are unlikely to have found comfort at the Gate One conference last month

In an authoritative address to last month's Gate One conference in Singapore, Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation executive chairman Peter Harbison told delegates that the next five years in air travel would herald more change than the past 60

In March 2005, amid the takeover battle for Spanish travel retailer Aldeasa, AENA president Manuel Azuaga announced that the airport authority would launch a full tender at 17 Spanish airports—excluding Madrid Barajas— when Aldeasa's retail contract ended in December 2006

As Copenhagen Airports prepares to receive bids for the duty-free concession at Kastrup airport, the events of three years ago will have coloured its discussions with the competing candidates

Tax Free World Association (TFWA) CEO Andrew Ford is to leave the organisation to become vice-president business development at DFS Group, based in Hong Kong

More people and company news

More people and company news

This year's TFWA Asia Pacific show in Singapore mirrored the upbeat mood of most in the regional industry. The Gate One event and pre-exhibition conference contained several thought-provoking addresses that helped map out the future for travel-retail's most promising market. DFNI looks back at some of the highlights

Australia and New Zealand's off-airport business was once a crucial part of the region's duty-free landscape. The glory days may have passed, but the entry of two new players into the market suggests a resurgence may be due. By Gavin Lipsith

"Cosmeceutical" or "doctor" brands are making the leap from the high street to duty-free. Often commanding premium prices, such products offer considerable profit potential and for many retailers their arrival in travel-retail cannot come fast enough. Tina Milton examines the cosmeceutical phenomenon

The travel-retail market in Russia and the CIS has become one of the most keenly-contested anywhere, but no retailer can match the scope of Gebr Heinemann's business in the region. From Belarus to Blagoveshchensk, its network of stores is well placed to capitalise on the region's economic growth. John Rimmer reports

Last month's Nordic Travel Retail Seminar heard how the regional industry's "image crisis" continues, with many consumers dissatisfied with the retail offer. The Nordic Travel Retail Group is to create a think tank to address the problem. Lorna Strickland reports on the battle to win consumers back

Crystal gifts supplier Swarovski has expanded beyond its original figurines business to include fashion and jewellery products and has achieved a worldwide presence in travel-retail. Lorna Strickland asks vice-president of travel-retail Peter Zottl how the Austrian company has bridged the gap between different categories

Traditionally, jewellery shops on board ferries and cruiseships have sold mostly high-end products, but more recently sales of value brands have grown rapidly. Lorna Strickland talks to a number of operators in the sector about an emerging trend

More retail news

NEW ZEALAND. King Power Group (Hong Kong) and New Zealand gifts and souvenirs retailer Aotea are to form a new off-airport duty-free retail partnership, Aotea Duty Free

RUSSIA. Gebr Heinemann has called on retailers in the Russian travel-retail market to work together to ensure better representation for the country's travel-retail industry

FRANCE. Tax Free World Association (TFWA) will take its time to find a replacement for outgoing CEO Andrew Ford, the trade body's president Erik Juul-Mortensen has told DFNI. Ford is to join DFS Group as vice-president business development this summer

JAPAN. Narita International Airport Corp (NAA) is to unveil its new retail mall at Tokyo Narita terminal one's reconstructed South Wing on June 2

AUSTRALIA. JR Duty Free—formerly known as James Richardson—has reported strong results from its marketing efforts to educate tourists about the availability of downtown duty-free at its new outlets in Adelaide, Perth and Melbourne

SPAIN. Aldeasa's revenues rose by 12.8% in the first quarter of 2006 to €139.4m ($176.4m), its co-owner Autogrill has announced

FRENCH POLYNESIA. As revealed on RavenFox.com (May 15), Air Tahiti Nui has selected a partnership between Inflight Sales Group (ISG) Hong Kong, its subsidiary Diplomatic Supplies (Canada) and French Polynesian luxury goods agency Imporlux to operate its inflight duty-free business. ISG will be responsible for supply, marketing and IT

UZBEKISTAN. Gebr Heinemann and local partner Asiarianta Tashkent are to open a new duty-free store in Samarkand International airport

ASIA/PACIFIC. King Power International Group (Thailand) retained the top prize at this year's Raven Fox Awards for Travel-Retail Excellence in Asia/Pacific, presented in Singapore on May 17

INDIA. Retailers have responded with caution to the launch of a tender for nine airport retail contracts by the Airports Authority of India (AAI)

INDIA. State-owned travel retailer Indian Tourism Development Corp (ITDC) has said it would welcome proposals from international operators on forming a partnership to bid in the upcoming wave of Indian airport tenders

PARAGUAY. Paraguayan retailer La Petisquera has completed the renovation of its joint arrivals and departures store at Ciudad Del Este International airport

UK. BAA recorded steady retail growth in the year ending March 31 despite what the UK airports group called "difficult" operating conditions

INDIA. Eight companies are competing for the duty-free retail contract at the new Hyderabad International airport, DFNI can reveal

UK. The crisis over irregularities in Alpha Airports Group's preliminary 2005/6 results has prompted the resignation of Alpha Airports Group CEO Kevin Abbott, along with that of finance director Heather McRae

PAKISTAN. The Civil Aviation Authority of Pakistan (CAAP) has awarded Zainab Duty Free an exclusive five-year licence to operate duty-free at Islamabad and Peshawar airports

NORWAY. Oslo International plans to increase the space dedicated to arrivals duty-free at the airport. Travel Retail Norway (TRN) is the incumbent operator of departures and arrivals stores at the airport and operates a 630sq m (6,780sq ft) arrivals outlet, which will be extended by 30%

ARGENTINA. Argentina's leading travel retailers have benefited from a sharp increase in tourist arrivals as European visitors continue to flock to the country

CENTRAL AMERICA. Cruiseline operator Carnival Corp has delayed the opening of its duty-free shopping centre in Belize until autumn 2008. The mall was originally scheduled for completion in November 2007

BANGLADESH. Dhaka Zia International airport has appointed Bangladesh's first privately-owned duty-free retailer. Sarban Duty Free took over three 400sq ft (37sq m) departures shops at the airport earlier this year after securing a five-year renewable contract

Single-estate cognac supplier Francis Abécassis Spirits unveiled its new ABK6 cognac brand to the Asian duty-free market at the TFWA Asia Pacific show in Singapore last month

US firm Kobrand International is to distribute Casa Herradura tequila in Asia/Pacific travel-retail following an agreement signed at the TFWA Asia Pacific show last month

Spanish national airline Iberia has joined forces with specialist Spanish wine consultancy Todovino to promote the best of the country's wines on its long-haul flights

UK fine wine and spirits merchant Berry Bros & Rudd has reported an encouraging start to its three-year inflight pouring contract on board Virgin Atlantic Airways

Liqueur brand Wild Africa Cream is continuing to expand its duty-free business outside its native South Africa

Last month's TFWA Asia Pacific show provided mixed messages for the campaign to protect duty-free tobacco sales

Greek tobacco supplier Karelia has unveiled several line extensions to its core brands, intended to offer travel retailers a more powerful brand proposition

Protégé International expects to increase its presence in Asian markets with the introduction of a new Las Vegas-themed cigarette brand and an extension to the After Hours brand it launched at last year's TFWA Asia Pacific show

French cosmetics company Selective Beauty and Max Mara have signed an exclusive worldwide licence agreement for the creation, development and distribution of fragrances under the Max Mara brand

The Mille Miglia vintage motor race was one of the inspirations for the new men's fragrance Chopard pour Homme, unveiled at a press event last month

Niche "cosmeceutical" brand Skin Doctors is aiming to make its duty-free debut in the next six months

L'Occitane's Rose Velvet Set, which was launched on board All Nippon Airways (ANA) last month, is to be made available to airport stores

Canadian border shop operator Blue Water Bridge Duty Free and Nuance-Watson (Singapore) are among the retailers to emphasise the importance of cosmeceuticals to the growth of the skincare and cosmetics sector

Dubai Duty Free (DDF) has claimed its beauty store at Dubai International airport is the biggest retail outlet worldwide for Revlon cosmetics

Belgian Sky Shops (BSS) has restructured its gourmet food offer at Brussels Zaventem airport

Fleggaard Dan Discount, the leading border shop operator on the Germany-Denmark frontier, is to target Swedish traffic at two new outlets that it acquired last year

Last month's announcement by Guylian of new territorial responsibilities for its export managers (DFNI May 15) heralds a renewed drive behind the brand in Asia/Pacific

Cayman Islands speciality retailer Tortuga Rum Co has relaunched its store at Grand Cayman Owen Roberts International airport with a "cake box" design to its entrance to reflect the popularity of the company's rum cakes

Crystal gifts supplier and retailer Swarovski is to renew its focus on the gifts category next year

Estonian ferry operator Tallink has increased its product offering in the destination merchandise category on board its new ship Galaxy after reporting encouraging sales in the sector on board Galaxy's sister ship Victoria I

Diving watch supplier Suunto is performing strongly in Caribbean duty-free, according to the brand's Dutch agent and distributor Sea & Sky Supply, which secured the licence for the Suunto range in 2005

DFS Group has opened a new watch outlet at Sydney airport's new international terminal

Nuance-Watson (HK) opened its new luxury watch boutique Master of Time last month at Hong Kong International airport (HKIA) terminal one

Austrian jewellery supplier Frey Wille is focusing on developing its Asian business after halting plans to expand in European and North American duty-free earlier in the year

Italian jewellery supplier Nomination last month reached a licensing agreement with Warner Bros to design and supply Batman and Superman branded jewellery

Australian jewellery supplier Wellington, which owns the Pica LéLa brand, is focusing on expanding its shop-in-shop network in Chinese duty-free after it opened an outlet at Shanghai Hongqiao airport earlier this year

Italian fashion house Prada is to withdraw its authorisation for a franchise at Shanghai Pudong International airport after complaints that counterfeit goods were found to be on sale at the location

UK boardsports and outdoor brand Animal is to make is debut in the travel-retail market this year as part of a strategic international expansion headed by former Mulberry travel-retail executive Chris Clark

US fashion house Coach will focus its international growth strategy on the Asia/Pacific region in the coming years, through investment in its retail structure and personnel

Third London boutique for Samsonite