Dufry wins Carnival terminal rights

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The retailer is to open a 10,000sq ft (1,080sq m) walk-through store at a new cruise terminal on Grand Turk

Dufry Group has been awarded the exclusive duty-free concession at Carnival Corp's new cruise terminal on Grand Turk, capital of the Turks & Caicos Islands in the Caribbean. The facility, scheduled to welcome its first vessel on February 24 2006, will include a 10,000sq ft (1,080sq m) walk-through duty-free outlet positioned at the end of the cruise pier. Carnival is also building a recreation centre and other leisure facilities at the location.

Carnival Corp & PLC vice-president of strategic planning Giora Israel said the project was modelled on the company's operation at the Mexican port of Puerta Maya, where Dufry is the principal duty-free operator. "We've had a very good relationship with Dufry and [Americas president and CEO] José Gonzalez for several years, and together we found a way to make Puerta Maya a success. The walk-through store there is the only shop of its kind in the Caribbean and we're confident the model will be equally successful at Grand Turk."

Gonzalez promised that the latest addition to Dufry's Caribbean portfolio would offer "something unique". "We'll offer traditional duty-free categories but we'll also include a slightly more upscale assortment than what we have in Puerta Maya," he said. "We have time to develop the concept and our suppliers will also have time to explore the opportunity at Grand Turk."