When it comes to concise, colourful and descriptive use of the English language, no-one can live with the Aussies. Not only did they come up with the decade’s great acronym to save us all from having to keep writing out ‘liquids, aerosols and gels’ – now known as LAGs for short (and probably forever) – but
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A true duty free love story
The Moodie Report celebrated the launch of ‘The World Rovers’ – our tale of the phenomenal Irish influence over the duty free industry’s first 60 years -with a particularly tricky competition. Readers were asked to identify the people and locations in three photographs – one was the original Aer Rianta ‘Trinity’ in Dubai (a Kevin
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Going belly-up in Dubai
It was that moment that hardened Middle East Gala Dinner attendees fear. The local Belly Dancer is swaying and gyrating as the audience claps in time. She begins to swirl her way into the audience as she looks for a partner to take on stage. Everywhere men’s heads are looking down into their laps, keen
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Airports
A laid-back retailer-airport relationship
The relationship between airport authority and concessionaire is one of the most critical, yet often under-rated elements of airport retail success. So chances are that when you find an airport with thriving commercial revenues, the human relationships are in pretty good shape too. Nowhere is that more the case than at Toronto Pearson International Airport,
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Here’s Jonny!!
Regular readers of The Moodie Report – and certainly those who know its Kiwi publisher – will know that affinity towards the English rugby team falls rather low in our list of passions. But we make one honourable exception – namely the world’s second-greatest number 10 (behind Dan Carter of course), Jonny Wilkinson.It was Jonny,
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Mann gives birth to girl – again
The Moodie BLOG is delighted to bring readers news of the latest line extension from our team – one Alexa Seren Mann, daughter of our tireless Associate Editor Rebecca Mann and husband Simon. We can report that Rebecca was still filing (superb) copy up to moments before she gave birth to Alexa, who in keeping
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Golfers go into charity overdrive in Dubai’s ‘other’ golf challenge
The Dubai Duty Free Golf World Cup may have grabbed the industry sporting headlines in November, but the emirate welcomed another international golfing field last month, to the Al Badia Pinkie Pairs golf tournament. The event – played under the rules of the International Order of the Pink Tee – began life as a
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‘Oh power of Scotland’ – or ‘How to raise the average spend’
Two of the industry’s great characters, great influences and great Scots, Aer Rianta International’s Bill Maxwell (left) and Emirates Duty Free Manager John Sime celebrated long into the night after the Frontier Awards in Cannes. This followed the success of Emirates in winning Best Partnership Initiative of the Year for its remarkable alliance with German
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Frank gets plastered in Cannes
Frank Hunwick has been coming to the Cannes show for more years than he can remember, in the past with Allied Domecq and Hiram Walker. This year the amiable PR expert and show specialist was guiding Peller Estates Icewine around the show, helping set up the stand, client dinners and much more besides. All had
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Farewell to a founding father
There are only a few individuals during the 60-year history of duty free who can truly be considered as having shaped the industry. Alberto C Motta Snr, who died this week at the age of 90, was one of them. In 1949 he opened the first airport duty free store in his region, in Panama
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Airports
Getting into the Brazilian spirit at T4
Nice to see the Heathrow Terminal 4 promotional bar in the heart of the liquor, tobacco and confectionery shop flourishing. As I wearily put back on my shoes and belt and put away my precious laptop post security on Sunday night, the bar drew me in like a beacon. “Hello Sir, try this cocktail –