TOP STORY
Otto Ambagtsheer named The Moodie Report Personality of the Month for August
NETHERLANDS. Schiphol Group Managing Director Business Area Consumers Otto Ambagtsheer has been named The Moodie Report Personality of the Month for August, in association with The Dalmore Single Malt Scotch Whisky. Ambagtsheer and his commercial team led the drive to create the new Holland Boulevard concept at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, which opened last week.
ASUTIL conference-goers told to exceed consumer expectations
PUERTO RICO. The 14th ASUTIL conference closed on Friday 3 September with a stirring call to exceed customer expectations from Michael J. Reardon of the Disney Institute, while economist Carlos Melconian set out a cautiously optimistic forecast for regional growth. The Moodie Report's Peter Dowling reports from Puerto Rico on the annual conference's closing day.
Rising spend per passenger lifts Aelia performance in first half
FRANCE/INTERNATIONAL. Aelia today reported sales of €305 million for H1 2010, up by +7% on a like-for-like basis on the same period last year. The figures were buoyed by a +8.9% rise in sales per passenger at the SDA joint venture with Aéroports de Paris, with non-EU sales per passenger up +10%. Read on for details, and comment from Aelia CEO Jean-Baptiste Morin.
Boeing bullish on North American aviation investment
NORTH AMERICA. The Seattle-based aircraft manufacturer predicts orders totalling $700 billion in North America over the next 20 years, as it releases its 2010 North America market outlook today in Montreal
Copenhagen Airport names new low-cost pier
DENMARK. Copenhagen Airport’s new low-cost pier, scheduled to open on 31 October, has officially been named CPH Go. "The signal the new name is intended to give passengers is: more cheap tickets to more destinations," says the airport operator.
The Trinity Forum 2011 comes to Bangkok
THAILAND. The Trinity Forum, the world’s leading airport commercial revenues conference, will be held in Bangkok, Thailand on 9–11 February 2011 with an unprecedented strength of speaker line-up. From the retailer community, confirmed presenters to date include DFS Chairman and CEO Ed Brennan, Dufry Group CEO Julián Díaz, Dubai Duty Free Managing Director Colm McLoughlin, King Power International Chairman Vichai Raksriaksorn, Duty Free Americas Airports Division President Enrique Urioste and The Nuance Group President and CEO Roberto Graziani.
Setur Duty Free unveils Zegna store at Istanbul Sabiha Gökcen
TURKEY. Leading travel retailer Setur Duty Free this week opened a new Ermenegildo Zegna boutique at its Istanbul Sabiha Gökcen International Airport (SGIA) operation. The 40sq m unit offers a range of fashion & accessories from the Zegna brand. Setur Duty Free will complete its strong fashion line-up at the airport with a Salvatore Ferragamo outlet next month.
Kelkoo apologises to BAA over “inaccurate” pricing survey
UK. Price comparison website Kelkoo has apologised to BAA for inaccuracies in a recent pricing survey, in which it claimed that Heathrow Airport offered the lowest savings compared to the domestic market among a series of leading European airports. Kelkoo admits that the data it published about Heathrow was “inaccurate”.
Changi Airport gears up for F1 season with Grand Prix Festival
SINGAPORE. Changi Airport has kicked off the Changi Grand Prix Festival in the run-up to the 2010 Singapore Formula 1 Night Race, which will be held on 24-26 September at the Marina Bay Street Circuit. Until the end of the month, Changi Airport passengers can experience a good dose of racing action at the Departure Transit Malls of Terminals 1, 2 and 3, while airport visitors can check out various racing-themed activities at T3’s Departure Hall. In addition, the airport has launched a ‘Save 2X 7% GST on Shopping’ promotion and free shuttle bus services.
Record attendance on first day of upbeat Asutil conference
PUERTO RICO. The 14th Asutil conference opened yesterday at the Caribe Hilton hotel in San Juan, Puerto Rico with delegates and ASUTIL officials in confident mood. Not only has this year’s event broken the previous attendance record, but sales are rebounding to pre-crisis levels in many sectors of Latin American travel retail. The Moodie Report's Peter Dowling reports from Puerto Rico.
Airport Travel Retail: Customer Focus & the Missing Trinity Member
INTERNATIONAl. Our latest contributors’ column, sponsored by Diageo Global Travel & Middle East, is by former Philip Morris International duty free executive and now industry consultant Mick Dawidowicz. He talks about customer focus, identifies 'the missing Trinity member' and criticises the online retail offer of the world's top 30 airports.
The Moodie Report 7 Days: September 2nd edition online now
INTERNATIONAL. In this week's edition of The Moodie Report 7 Days, Martin Moodie announces the 2011 Trinity Forum to be held, excitingly, in Bangkok, Thailand. Plus he examines a mixed set of H1 results from Hellenic Duty Free Shops, marked by a fall in sales, a rise in profits and a failure of revenue to keep pace with traffic.
Luxottica launches first-ever travel retail exclusive
INTERNATIONAL. Leading premium fashion, luxury and sports eyewear group Luxottica has launched its first ever travel retail exclusive as part of the company’s ambitions to push the boundaries of the sunglasses category. ‘Ray-Ban for Travellers’ is an exclusive gift box set containing two pairs of sunglasses; one for men and one for women.
AIRLINE NEWS
Rising spend per passenger lifts Aelia performance in first half
FRANCE/INTERNATIONAL. Aelia today reported sales of €305 million for H1 2010, up by +7% on a like-for-like basis on the same period last year. The figures were buoyed by a +8.9% rise in sales per passenger at the SDA joint venture with Aéroports de Paris, with non-EU sales per passenger up +10%. Read on for details, and comment from Aelia CEO Jean-Baptiste Morin.
Boeing bullish on North American aviation investment
NORTH AMERICA. The Seattle-based aircraft manufacturer predicts orders totalling $700 billion in North America over the next 20 years, as it releases its 2010 North America market outlook today in Montreal
Airport Travel Retail: Customer Focus & the Missing Trinity Member
INTERNATIONAl. Our latest contributors’ column, sponsored by Diageo Global Travel & Middle East, is by former Philip Morris International duty free executive and now industry consultant Mick Dawidowicz. He talks about customer focus, identifies 'the missing Trinity member' and criticises the online retail offer of the world's top 30 airports.
FOOD & BEVERAGE TOP STORY
The Trinity Forum 2011 comes to Bangkok
THAILAND. The Trinity Forum, the world’s leading airport commercial revenues conference, will be held in Bangkok, Thailand on 9–11 February 2011 with an unprecedented strength of speaker line-up. From the retailer community, confirmed presenters to date include DFS Chairman and CEO Ed Brennan, Dufry Group CEO Julián Díaz, Dubai Duty Free Managing Director Colm McLoughlin, King Power International Chairman Vichai Raksriaksorn, Duty Free Americas Airports Division President Enrique Urioste and The Nuance Group President and CEO Roberto Graziani.
Delta and OTG enhance Sky Club at JFK Airport
US. Delta Air Lines has introduced a new dining experience at its four Sky Clubs at New York JFK Airport, offering made-to-order meals for purchase and expanded beverage options through a full-service café and bar. The new cafes have been developed exclusively for Delta and operated by airport restaurateur OTG Management.
PICTURE GALLERY
Nuance-Watson (HK) and Scental in customer service drive
HONG KONG. As part of its ‘Customer Focus Year’ at Hong Kong International Airport, Nuance-Watson (HK) has partnered with beauty supplier Scental in an exclusive Training Fair to empower staff business skills. “This demonstrates the power of a collaborative approach where both parties have taken a step beyond their common interests and focused passionately on customer service excellence and maximising customer satisfaction,” said the retailer.
LATEST BRAND NEWS
SPI Group appoints marketing chief for Stolichnaya
LUXEMBOURG. SPI Group has announced the appointment of Marco Ferrari as Chief Marketing Officer, to drive Stolichnaya Premium Vodka’s global marketing strategy. He joins Stolichnaya at a time when the SPI Group is investing heavily in the premium vodka brand, with the recent launch of a new advertising campaign in the US and new product development in the pipeline.
Setur Duty Free unveils Zegna store at Istanbul Sabiha Gökcen
TURKEY. Leading travel retailer Setur Duty Free this week opened a new Ermenegildo Zegna boutique at its Istanbul Sabiha Gökcen International Airport (SGIA) operation. The 40sq m unit offers a range of fashion & accessories from the Zegna brand. Setur Duty Free will complete its strong fashion line-up at the airport with a Salvatore Ferragamo outlet next month.
Luxottica launches first-ever travel retail exclusive
INTERNATIONAL. Leading premium fashion, luxury and sports eyewear group Luxottica has launched its first ever travel retail exclusive as part of the company’s ambitions to push the boundaries of the sunglasses category. ‘Ray-Ban for Travellers’ is an exclusive gift box set containing two pairs of sunglasses; one for men and one for women.
Smashbox invites consumers to make their beauty Wish come true
US. Smashbox Cosmetics has unveiled its Wish Holiday Collection for 2010. As with last year’s line, for each purchase, the brand will donate US$1 (up to US$25,000) to the Children’s Miracle Network, a non-profit organisation that provides medical care, life-saving research and education to sick and injured children.
Maker’s Mark launches Rochefort 2010/11 Summer Collection
AUSTRALIA. Maker’s Mark pledged its support for gentlemen’s tailor and craftsman partner Rochefort this week in the launch of the latter’s 2010/11 Summer Collection at the Bambini Trust Wine Room. The event treated guests to an exclusive preview of Rochefort’s new collection, followed by an intimate cocktail tasting with Maker’s Mark Brand Ambassador Jared Plummer.
WDF launches first ever ‘WhiskyFest’ event at Scottish airports
UK. WDF has launched its first ‘Whiskyfest’ event, which runs across World Duty Free stores at Scottish airports for nine weeks from August to October this year. The retailer is highlighting the range of exclusive whiskies at its stores, and offering -20% off 40 of them, alongside a host of showcasing events from brand owners.
Luxottica maintains dominant position with record results
ITALY. Italian eyewear company Luxottica Group unveiled its strongest set of financial results ever in the second quarter of 2010, reaffirming its market-leading position. For the first time in the history of the group, net sales for the quarter approached €1.6 billion, with net income reaching €150 million.
L’Oréal CEO hails strong first-half performance
FRANCE. L’Oréal CEO Jean-Paul Agon has praised the group’s strong first-half results, driven by dynamism across all four divisions. “We are tackling the second half with confidence, and intend over the full year to keep on strengthening our worldwide positions and the profitability of our businesses,” he declared.
Scandinavian Tobacco Group brings La Traviata to Europe
NETHERLANDS. Following the success of its La Traviata cigar in the US market, Scandinavian Tobacco Group is introducing the brand in Europe. The first country selected for launch is Germany, where La Traviata will be presented at Inter-tabac 2010 in Dortmund later this month.
P&G Prestige makes key new travel retail appointment
INTERNATIONAL. P&G Prestige has named Murat Akyildiz Region Manager, Prestige Distributor Operations and Travel Retail for Europe, Middle East, Latin America and Canada. He takes over from Gabe Ragy, who held the role for a short transitional period following the retirement in May of Hans Wohmann after more than 25 years of service.
JOBS AND OTHER NOTICES
Jobs – Top industry roles offered and sought
The Moodie Report's hugely popular Jobs section highlights executive vacancies or positions sought. Latest notices: Moët Hennessy Deutschland GmbH seeks Sales Development Manager Travel Retail; Bvlgari seeks Travel Retailing Area Sales Manager; Dynamic Sales Manager seeks challenging role; Emirates seeks Retail Services Manager and a Merchandise Manager (Duty Free Services); William Grant & Sons seeks Director Travel Retail – North America and Trade Marketing Manager Travel Retail - Americas; Ferrero seeks Product Manager based in Luxembourg.
LATEST FEATURES
Delhi Duty Free unveils an Indian airport shopping extravaganza
INDIA. Delhi Duty Free Services, a three-way partnership between two of the industry’s leading retailers and Delhi International Airport Limited, has opened over 30,000sq ft of duty free shopping space at Indira Gandhi International Airport’s new Terminal 3 in Delhi. “Operating at T3, the sixth-largest terminal in the world with a 34 million passenger handling capacity, we expect huge footfall and see enormous scope for the growth of airport retailing in India," says Delhi Duty Free Services CEO Nicholas Goddard Palmer.
Picture Gallery: Brown-Forman brings barrels of art to DFS
INTERNATIONAL. Brown-Forman has chosen a unique way to mark the 50th anniversary of DFS as various artists turned Jack Daniel’s barrels into pieces of art. Each will be sold to benefit industry charity Hand in Hand for Haiti. Here we present an extended Picture Gallery of the completed works as they will appear on display at DFS stores in seven airports.
Dufry plots ambitious expansion in 2010
INTERNATIONAL. Dufry Group plans to open close to 20,000sq m of new retail space in 2010, covering 152 stores, CEO Julián Díaz told analysts after Thursday’s half-year results announcement. More than half of the stores will open in Q3 and Q4, with a strong contribution from Dufry’s Hudson acquisition. Díaz also reiterated the retailer’s desire to expand in emerging markets, with Russia, China and India of particular interest.
The Moodie Report Special Supplement: Sydney Airport Terminal 1 – Delivering the dream
AUSTRALIA. Welcome to Delivering the Dream – a special publication from The Moodie Report dedicated to the transformation of Sydney Airport’s International Terminal. Martin Moodie reports from the New South Wales capital after the culmination of this ambitious A$500 million project, completed just last month. He speaks to Sydney Airport Corporation Limited, plus many of the airport company's key commercial partners, about the achievement.
The Moodie Report Passenger Traffic Monitor
INTERNATIONAL. Need to have the latest traffic statistics at your fingertips? Simple. All you have to do from now on is click onto The Moodie Report.com Traffic Monitor PDF, updated every two weeks on this website. Read on for details.
Tender Notices and Awards
INTERNATIONAL. The Moodie Report.com is pleased to promote all new retail, food & beverage and other non-aeronautical revenue tenders free of charge to airport authorities and other landlords. Click here for details plus the latest tenders to be awarded or issued.
LATEST DATA ROOM
Rising spend per passenger lifts Aelia performance in first half
FRANCE/INTERNATIONAL. Aelia today reported sales of €305 million for H1 2010, up by +7% on a like-for-like basis on the same period last year. The figures were buoyed by a +8.9% rise in sales per passenger at the SDA joint venture with Aéroports de Paris, with non-EU sales per passenger up +10%. Read on for details, and comment from Aelia CEO Jean-Baptiste Morin.
Chinese surge drives travel boom to Japan
JAPAN. Inbound visitor traffic to Japan in July broke previous records for that month, according to Travel Journal International (TJI) Online. Inbound travel rose by +38.9% year-on-year to the highest-ever monthly count of 879,100, TJI reported this week. Meanwhile outbound travel reached the highest level since 2007, largely driven by the strong Japanese Yen.
Confectionery holds up well as sales lag behind traffic at Hellenic
GREECE. More details have emerged about Hellenic Duty Free Shops’ first half results, released earlier this week. Hellenic said that sales (-8.9%) had not kept pace with passenger growth (+1.1%), falling particularly sharply in April (volcano cloud) and June. Confectionery, up +4.0%, resisted the negative trend.
International passenger volumes soar at world’s airports in July
INTERNATIONAL. Passenger traffic at the world’s airports continued to rebound in July, according to the latest figures from Airports Council International (ACI). International passenger numbers surged by +9.5% year-on-year, with total traffic growing by +6.9%, a slower rate than in previous months. Asia Pacific and Latin America-Caribbean each posted impressive growth of +14% in the month.
Aéroports de Paris posts strong first-half retail gains despite traffic decline
FRANCE. Aéroports de Paris today unveiled strong first-half growth in retail and services. Aéroports de Paris Chairman and CEO Pierre Graff said: “Traffic was severely disrupted in April by the eruption of the Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajökull. Despite this, Aéroports de Paris Group’s results for the first half of 2010 are satisfying, due in particular to the increase in revenue per passenger achieved in shops within restricted areas.”
Sales down but first-half profits up at Hellenic Duty Free Shops
GREECE. Hellenic Duty Free Shops (HDFS) today unveiled a +9.7% rise in pre-tax profits to €21.6 million for its travel retail operations for the first half of 2010. This was despite a -8.9% drop in sales to €93 million. HDFS General Director George Velentzas said: “The parent HDFS [i.e. the travel retail operations –Ed]… significantly increased its profitability despite the increase in sales, still remaining the most profitable company in the travel retail industry.”
