SAUDI ARABIA. A consortium led by Lagardère Travel Retail, in partnership with Saudi Airlines Catering Company (SACC) and Arabian Ground Handling Logistic Company, has been awarded the contract to operate 2,040sq m of duty free space at Riyadh King Khaled International Airport T1 and T2.
Lagardère Travel Retail will manage two duty free units, each of 1,020sq m. offering fragrances & cosmetics, fashion & accessories, gold and diamonds, tobacco, confectionery, food and toiletries, electronics, toys and souvenirs.
In 2015, more than ten million international passengers used Riyadh King Khaled International Airport.
Lagardère Travel Retail Chairman and CEO Dag Rasmussen said: “Lagardère Travel Retail is extremely proud to be awarded the concession to operate the duty free stores in King Khaled International Airport in Riyadh. We will do our upmost to warrant the trust the airport showed in us and are looking forward to create the ultimate duty free experience for passengers using King Khaled International Airport. We are confident that the operations, carried out in partnership with two reputable and competent partners, will be highly successful.”
Riyadh Airports Company Chief Executive Officer Abdulaziz Aboharba said that “the airport is looking forward to welcoming Lagardère Travel Retail and is looking forward to a long and successful partnership and welcoming the injection of new and international brands to the duty free shops. We are looking forward to the new shops opening which will provide us with a combination of international standards together with the cultures of Saudi Arabia.”
Sakhr AlMulhem, General Director Of Commercial Directorate at the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA), expressed his congratulations to the Lagardère Travel Retail consortium. He said that he looked forward to a “first class international duty free operation” at King Khaled international Airport, one that “reflects the Kingdom’s natural beauty together with the desire of the airport to offer the best of the best for the capital’s passengers”.
Saudi Airlines Catering Company CEO Wajdy Moh’d Al-Ghabban added: “SACC is proud to join forces with Lagardère. This consortium combines a world class travel retail operator’s experience and SACC’s long experience of local travellers’ needs through Skysales.”
Previous incumbent World Duty Free Group and partner Al Musbah had its contract terminated earlier this year, the airport company confirmed to us.
We’ll bring you further comment on Riyadh Airport’s commercial development soon.
