Three line up for border tender in Turkey

Tina Milton

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Three companies are believed to be the frontrunners in the border shop tender for six retail outlets in Turkey

Hellenic Duty Free Shops, Net Magaza Isetmeciligi Ve Ticaret and Setur Service Turistik are among the frontrunners for the 15-year tender at six border sites in Turkey, RavenFox.com understands. Alpha/IDF, Akfen-Tepe-Unifree (ATU ), a partnership between Gebr Heinemann-controlled Unifree and Tepe-Akfen-Ventures (TAV), and Onur Ekspres are believed to have pulled out of the bidding. The cost of the bid specifications was €10,000.

The tender, which is part of a plan to modernise the Turkish border gates, includes the operation of duty-free shops and food and beverage outlets at Habur, on the border with Turkey and Iraq, Cilvegozu between Turkey and Syria, Sarp and Sarpi which are on the border between Turkey and Georgia, and Kapikule and Derekoy, located on the border between Turkey and Bulgaria. The total duty-free space available is about 8,000sq m (86,080sq ft).

Hellenic investor relations manager Theodore Gitzos said: "We are confidence we have made a reasonable offer and expect to have a good chance of winning the tender."

The contract for the duty-free and food and beverage operation will be awarded to one operator, as revealed in DFNI April 1, with bids tabled on September 19. The border facilities will be operated on a build-operate-transfer basis. In 2005, the total duty-free sales at border store reached €150m ($192m).