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The 38th annual Frontier Duty Free Association Convention in Niagara Falls, Canada, ended on a Gala note, with Peace Bridge Duty Free of Fort Erie winning four Gold Standard awards, including the Platinum Award for Best Canadian Land Border Duty Free store. The Nuance Group took home its second consecutive Platinum Award for Best Canadian Airport Duty Free store. More Convention news on page 1.
Brazil‘s second round of airport privatization bidding has ended with the government raising more than 21 million Reales for concession contracts in Rio de Janeiro and Belo Horizonte. This was significantly above the minimum required by the Civil Aviation Authorities and some critics are charging that the concession winners have over paid, writes TMI’s John Gallagher.
Nevertheless, construction work at the airports in the first round of bidding — Guarulhos, Brasilia and Viracopos — are on schedule for completion before the FIFA World Cup next year. In addition, new retail stores and food and beverage establishments along with other installations are being opened at all three airports and customer satisfaction levels are rising. See full story on page 2.
Despite the improvements taking place in Brazil’s airports, travelers say the facilities – including the duty free shopping – still have far to go to meet expectations, according to a fascinating study released by Ian Cesa’s Horizon Consumer Science research company. HCS has released a new report detailing perceptions of airport duty free for travelers from the BRIC countries of Brazil, Russia, India and China. A copy of the report is available to readers of Travel Markets Insider from the company website at www.market-research.com
PEOPLE News. Congratulations to Onboard Media founder Philip Levine, who was just elected Mayor of Miami Beach in Florida. Two major figures in the travel retail spirits industry are leaving their posts: Diageo GTME Commercial Director Peter Jacobson, and The Absolut Company’s Global Travel Retail Director Anders Olsson recently announced they were stepping down. Bruce Losee of Fetzer Wines releases new contact information. Pages 1, 3
At the Point of Sale. Victoria’s Secret, in partnership with Hudson Group, has opened a state-of-the-art Beauty & Accessories store in Los Angeles International Airport’s new Tom Bradley International Terminal. Story on page 4.
In other news, TFWA and MEADFA have renewed their Conference agreement for the next two years; and the PPI Group has been named the official video/ multi-media production partner for Cruise Shipping Miami taking place next March. Details on page 4.
