Commercial & Concession
The operational and commercial engine of the industry. Contracts, tenders, space planning, and how space translates to revenue.
The European Consolidation Play Hiding in Plain Sight at Lagardère
Lagardère Travel Retail's 2025 numbers were strong. The story behind them — Frédéric Chevalier's planned rise, the deliberate Asia restructuring, the deepening European concession map — is stronger.
Avolta's Q1 Quietly Tested the Diversification Thesis. Here's What the Number Behind the Number Reveals.
Avolta reported +4.7% organic growth in Q1 despite Middle East drag. The 1.2pp gap between reported and ex-Middle East growth is the precise quantification of what geographic diversification actually buys.
Indian Airport Retail: The $1 Billion Opportunity Finally Being Taken Seriously
India's airport retail market crossing the $1 billion threshold. The infrastructure, consumers, and strategic decisions that will determine who captures the growth.
Walk-Through Store Design: The Strategy That Transformed Airport Duty-Free Revenue
The format change that added 10-15 points of conversion. How walk-through stores work, why they dominate, and what operators still get wrong.
The Chinese Traveller: The Most Studied Consumer in Travel Retail
No single nationality has shaped global duty-free more than the Chinese traveller. Spending data, category preferences, and the post-pandemic recalibration.
Headphones and Earbuds: The One Electronics Category That Actually Works in Airports
While most electronics struggle in duty-free, headphones deliver conversion rates that rival beauty. Why this category works.
The Tender Process: How Airlines and Airport Authorities Award Duty-Free Contracts
Inside the process that determines who operates airport retail. What evaluators look for and the strategic mistakes that lose tenders.
Duty-Free vs Duty-Paid: The Regulatory Distinction That Shapes Strategy
The single regulatory distinction that defines the entire industry. How duty-free and duty-paid work, why the difference matters, and what operators get wrong.
Middle East Travel Retail: How Dubai, Doha, and Abu Dhabi Became Global Leaders
The Gulf airports built commercial ecosystems, not just stores. How Dubai, Doha, and Abu Dhabi became the world's most profitable travel retail destinations.
How Airport Retail Concessions Work: Contracts, Structures, and Commercial Logic
The complete guide to duty-free contracts. MAGs, revenue sharing, space allocation, and the commercial logic every operator and airport authority must understand.
The Five Metrics That Separate Great Duty-Free Operators from Average Ones
The five KPIs that every serious duty-free operator tracks — SPH, ATV, UPT, conversion rate, and dwell time. What they measure, how they connect, and the global benchmarks that separate precision operators from the rest.