Following an international tender process, Sofia International Airport in Bulgaria has selected travel retailer Dufry to operate 13 shops over an eight-and-a-half-year concession contract.
Dufry will take over the operation of the 1,4332 existing commercial space in June 2022 and will develop an 1,800m2 walkthrough shop and a 170m2 arrivals shop, both of which will be in Terminal 2. The contract includes the operation of 11 duty-free shops and two duty-paid shops. The airport expects to offer a product mix that will include international brands, exclusive products and new launches. There will also be a strong focus on local products, which will be showcased within the store in a ‘Taste of Sofia’ area, to convey a sense of place.
Commenting on the new contract, Alberto Iglesias, chief operating officer of Dufry in the Mediterranean, Eastern Europe and Middle East, said, “Dufry is proud to have been awarded this important new concession in Bulgaria. We would like to thank Sofia Airport for the trust they have shown in us. As the leading global travel retailer, we will use our extensive knowledge and expertise to take the airport’s shopping experience to an entirely new level for over seven million passengers who visit Sofia Airport each year. A key element of the new walk-through store will be the integration of digital technologies.”
Jesús Caballero, CEO of Sofia Airport, added, “With the appointment of the professional duty-free and travel retail operator Dufry for the airport shops, we are a step closer to delivering the envisaged excellence to our passengers. Our travelers deserve a better commercial experience on the airport premises and Dufry is going to deliver it. Our expectations of the global travel retailer are in line with Sofia Airport’s major transformation aimed to rank the airport among its European peers.”
