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Happy New Year to all our readers around the world. We hope that you had a restful and joyous holiday. The Travel Markets Insider team was able to take a needed break and spend wonderful time with family.
In this first issue of the TMI newsletter for 2025, we look both ahead to the future and back over the past year.
In today’s lead story, we present m1nd-set’s forecast of 2025 air traffic and some shopper behavior insights that will resonate in the coming year. The report begins on page 1.
PEOPLE
In a major change in the travel retail world, The Estée Lauder Companies has announced that Israel Assa, Global President of Travel Retail Worldwide, left his role with the company last month. Olivier Dubos will step into the role as Senior Vice President and General Manager, Travel Retail Worldwide.
Assa is well-known in the region, especially since he headed up ELC’s Travel Retail Americas business for more than eight years, and we join with the industry wishing him great success in his next chapter. Page 2.
IN THE TMI SPOTLIGHT: Aviation and Concessions
INTERNATIONAL SHOPPES
International Shoppes has opened a new store at the newly constructed Terminal D – West Pier at Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH). This is the first store built specifically for IS at IAH, and the retailer promises a new level of customer service and innovation. Page 3.
Meanwhile, JFK Terminal 4 hit a record 27 million passengers in 2024, reports terminal operator JFKIAT. Page 3.
JFK Terminal 8 has opened six very innovative retail spaces operated by small, local, women- and minority-owned entrepreneurs, as part of the Small Business Retail Accelerator program created to lower the barriers to entry into the airport concessionaire channel. See the story on page 4.
AT THE POINT OF SALE
Lindt created a wonderful immersive holiday experience at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport over the holidays, called the LINDOR Layover. See page 4 for detail.
CRUISE/INTERNATIONAL
Gebr. Heinemann has opened eight spectacular boutiques onboard the first Saudi Arabian cruise ship AROYA. Page 5.
SUPPLY SIDE
GESKE Beauty devices, which are now present in 75 countries, six continents and more than 100,000 stores worldwide, reports that 2024 was a “landmark year,” filled with innovation, expansion, accolades and marketing successes. Read the story on page 5.
