Hellenic Duty Free Shops, a subsidiary of concessionaire Dufry, has signed a 30-year agreement with airport operator Fraport Greece to manage retail outlets at 14 Greek airports.
Under the agreement, Dufry will maintain the exclusive rights for the existing airside retail activities and will expand operations to meet the increase in retail space from approximately 54,000ft² to 130,000ft².
The agreement will take effect as soon as the ownership deal is completed between the Greek state and Fraport Greece, which has been awarded the operational rights to several airports including Thessaloniki, Aktion, Mykonos, Zakynthos, Kavala, Corfu, Kefalonia, Kos, Lesvos, Rhodes, Samos, Santorini, Skiathos and Chania. The expansion and improvement of the retail spaces is set to start in 2017 with completion scheduled for 2021.
George Vilos, executive director of commercial and business development of Fraport Greece, said, “The 14 airports are gateways to some of the most important Greek and world famous destinations. Fraport’s investment plan for the development of the airports includes a significant increase in commercial areas, as well as the improvement of the passengers’ overall travel experience. Thus, the airports will respond to the expected increase in traffic and offer an experience that is deserving of the destinations.”
Giorgos Velentzas, managing director of Hellenic Duty Free Shops, said, “We are jointly planning the development and expansion of our retail areas to provide travelers with a completely new shopping and service experience. By introducing state-of-the-art retail concepts and shop designs, we will increase the visibility of Greek products and provide a distinctive sense of place that promotes Greek culture throughout the world.”
Julian Diaz, CEO Dufry, said, “This agreement fosters our long-standing cooperation and excellent relationship with Fraport, which spans across successful partnerships and operations in many countries around the globe.”
