This week’s ACI Europe Trading Conference in Dublin proved one of the best of recent years, with a strong return to form in attendance terms (over 360) plus a strong and penetrating series of speakers, nearly all of whom spoke tightly to their brief and crucially, to time. Sessions around innovation and newness (on day
Miscellaneous
Celebrating the best of German food & beverage
The Moodie Report paid a visit to Frankfurt Airport this week, to see the airport’s acclaimed food & beverage operations and visit its award-winning concessionaires – and we weren’t disappointed. It was a visit that underlined the depth, variety and terrific heritage that German food & beverage can boast – but that is too often
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Miscellaneous
Brogan is back
The Moodie Report is delighted to reveal that rumours of Pat Brogan’s death have been greatly exaggerated. The genial Irishman and wife Kay were back in Orlando this week, armed with a new product that is already making inroads in the Americas. Pat and Kay have been best known in recent years for Brogan’s Irish
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Miscellaneous
Marshall marches to victory at VR Club
This year’s Trinity Forum not only gathered together a powerful elite of the world’s leading airports, travel retailers and brand owners in Bangkok – it also played host to the most vibrant and varied set of social events in the conference’s history. The Vimanmek Mansion visit organised by King Power International Group attracted over 70
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Miscellaneous
Turning the ARC light on Asian inflight retail
The first ARC Asia Airline Retail Conference began on Tuesday in Macau’s Grand Hyatt Hotel. It’s a project that aims to turn the spotlight on Asian airlines and inflight concessionaires, as well as brands targeting the Asia inflight business. It’s a regional event that should have good prospects, given the engine room of global travel that Asia Pacific is
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Miscellaneous
An airport with a heart
This week’s launch of Auckland Airport’s revamped Departures area was an uplifting occasion, writes our Special Correspondent Peter Dowling. Not only has the retail team led by Adrian Littlewood and Paul Divers done an outstanding job of creating a shopping experience that is of international standard while preserving a funky Kiwi flavour. Auckland Airport now
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Miscellaneous
Trinity becomes a Quintet in Dubai
Dubai Airport played host this week to a welcome but all too rare retail collaboration, when the new Emporium luxury spirits, fine wines and Champagne store and bar opened at Terminal 3. In this case, the ‘Trinity’ of brand owner, airport and retailer became a ‘Quintet’, when the partnership between Diageo GTME, Möet Hennessy, Dubai Duty
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Miscellaneous
Singh swings, Irish Village rocks
One of the year’s industry highlights ended on Thursday, as the 18th Dubai Duty Free Golf World Cup climaxed in victory for local businessman and supplier to Dubai Duty Free, Gurbax Singh (pictured centre with the Dubai Duty Free team and Irish golf pro Des Smyth). It was an event that combined superb and terrible
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Miscellaneous
In the pink in Dubai
The annual Premier Portfolio Pinkie Pairs golf tournament – a key prelude to the Dubai Duty Free Golf World Cup – was dramatically won yesterday by Aer Rianta International-Middle East Managing Director John Sutcliffe and Paton’s Chief Operating Officer James Kfouri (above). Their victory only came after a titanic battle down the stretch with Alan
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Miscellaneous
One of the great industry nights
One of the great social nights in industry history took place on Sunday, when the Middle East Duty Free Conference gala dinner was held in the shadow of the Great Pyramid at Giza in Cairo. Egyptian distributor and retailer IDF Trading & Agencies hosted the event at this iconic venue. The company arranged special permission
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Miscellaneous
A stunning location for a historical event
The 2010 Middle East Duty Free Conference began on Saturday night (with the Opening Cocktail) in what must be one of the most stunning locations ever for an industry event. The Mena House Oberoi Hotel in Cairo, at the foot of the Great Pyramid of Giza, is playing host to this year’s show, with a
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Miscellaneous
Iconic T2: symbol of a new beginning?
The opening of Dublin Airport Terminal 2 was a bittersweet moment for many of the Irishmen and women who attended the inauguration last Friday. As Dublin Airport Authority was about to unveil one of its finest achievements – the 75,000sq m terminal came in on time and on budget, and looks likely to greatly enhance
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Miscellaneous
A powerful and poignant evening
DFS’s 50th anniversary celebration on Saturday night was one of the great industry social events of recent times, and proved to be both a showcase of the excellent retailing skills of the world’s leading luxury travel retailer, and a poignant, emotional evening in the group’s proud history. Guests began by enjoying a tour of the