SPAIN. Ten leading travel retailers have expressed interest in presenting bids for the world’s largest duty free retail tender by turnover, covering 27 airports in AENA’s Spanish network, The Moodie Davitt Report understands reliably after speaking to multiple sources.
These include incumbent Dufry plus other Europe-based groups Gebr. Heinemann, Lagardère Travel Retail, Aer Rianta International and Setur Duty Free of Türkiye.
Others include China Duty Free Group, Hotel Shilla (parent of The Shilla Duty Free), Bahrain Duty Free, GMR Airports of India, and UETA (controlled by Duty Free Americas).
Significantly, this is the first time that retailers from Asia and the Americas have expressed interest in entering the Spanish airports retail business, underlining the value of the multiple businesses on offer. China Duty Free Group is the world’s number one travel retailer by sales and The Shilla Duty Free number three.
A solvency assessment of the interested groups will now begin, before a bid presentation phase takes place.
As reported, the tender features six lots compared to just three in the previous tender, all offering sufficient size for economies of scale to be developed. The contract duration has been substantially increased, rising from seven to 12 years, with the option of three annual extensions.
The contracts are expected to generate some €18 billion in sales over their collective terms. They include 86 duty free points of sale, plus many additional premises dedicated to other categories. The stores will occupy some 66,000sq m in total.
Details of the tender first emerged at the TFWA World Exhibition in Cannes last October, presented by senior AENA management in a session moderated by The Moodie Davitt Report Founder & Chairman Martin Moodie.
The tender result is expected to be published in July, after being ratified by AENA’s Board of Directors. 
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