Airport News
ATU Duty Free has been awarded the tender for operating rights of duty free stores at Salalah Airport, in Oman’s second largest city.
The firm is a joint venture between TAV Airports and Unifree Duty Free/ Gebr. Heinemann, and has agreed a 10-year contract, and is expected to start trading in January 2015, at stores encompassing 700 square metres of space.
ATU Duty Free beat off competition from duty free operators Dufry and Nuance, DFS from Hong Kong along with renowned F&B companies.
General manager, Ersan Arcan, explains: "Salalah Airport will become an important port in the Middle East with its six million passenger capacity. The rapid increase in the number of passengers strengthened our belief in Oman.
“We applied for the management and operation of duty free, retail and F&B concessions at Salalah Airport, and will provide service in this airport together with TAV subsidiaries BTA and TAV Operation Services."
Highlighting that ATU has the capability to do business worldwide, he adds: "We are trying to maintain the customer satisfaction at the highest level by offering top quality products of most famous brands at the most reasonable price to our customers.
“Thanks to our strong supply chain and highly professional logistics standards, we can provide brand diversity and product stability concurrently.
“As a result, we are considered as a business partner preferred worldwide. We are glad to be preferred also by OAMC, The Management Company of Oman Airports.”
The new terminal at Salalah Airport is due to open soon, with an initial capacity of one million passengers per year, and has been designed to allow for subsequent phased expansion in line with demand, with an ultimate annual capacity of six million.
Handling around 747,000 passengers in 2013, Salalah Airport’s expansion is part of a strategic aim to further develop the city of Salalah as a tourist destination, which is located 1,000 km south of Muscat.
