Left: Avolta CEO Xavier Rossinyol. Right: Avolta Shanghai Duty Free opened its doors on 1 January 2026.

Avolta is anticipating a year of acceleration for travel retail, as CEO Xavier Rossinyol relayed to TRBusiness for the Global Industry Survey 2026, with a combination of growing passenger demand and airports advancing major infrastructure projects creating fertile ground for a stronger commercial performance. Read on for his take on the shape of things to come…

How would you assess the global travel retail industry in 2025?

Rossinyol: 2025 has been a defining year for global travel retail. What stands out most is the clear shift we’re seeing towards more integrated, omnichannel retail, and the growing expectation from travellers for seamless and engaging journeys. Across the industry, we’re seeing a keener focus on data, agility and partnerships, all of which are essential for long-term growth. Overall, 2025 has reinforced that travel retail is not only recovering, but is reshaping itself to meet the demands of a more innovative and customer-centric future. This is fully aligned with our own strategic focus – at Avolta the traveller is at the heart of everything we do, and we are committed to delivering value for our stakeholders, transforming physical spaces and accelerating digital innovation.

Avolta and Angkasa Pura Aviasi opened a new duty-free Departures store and a walk-through Arrivals store at Kualanamu International Airport in Medan, Indonesia, in January.

What are your expectations for travel retail in 2026?

Rossinyol: We expect 2026 to be a year of acceleration for travel retail. Passenger demand will continue to grow, and airports will advance major infrastructure projects that boost both capacity, and the quality of the traveller experience itself. This combination creates the right foundation for stronger commercial performance. For Avolta, one of the biggest shifts will come from how we use data and technology to personalise the journey at scale. Operators and brands that can anticipate traveller needs, simplify their journey, and offer relevant and/or personalised choices will lead the industry forward. Sustainability, too, will continue to be a core expectation from travellers and partners alike. Overall, 2026 will reward businesses that combine innovation, operational excellence, and a true customer-first mindset. With the positive outlook, and driven by people’s fundamental passion to travel, we will continue to lead the transformation of the travel experience.

Avolta’s Presentedby experiential retail concept at Zayed International Airport (AUH).

And what do you expect will be the biggest opportunities for the DF&TR industry in 2026?

Rossinyol: One of the biggest opportunities in 2026 will come from the deeper use of data to personalise the traveller experiences, better understand purchasing moments and adapt our offering in real time to appeal to their needs. Stronger collaboration with airport partners will also open new space for innovation and improved commercial performance. In addition, continued premiumisation across key categories will create clear value for travellers, whilst also offering them the exclusives, and new launches that they’re looking for. As an industry, we have a real opportunity to simplify the journey and deliver more relevant, meaningful experiences end to end. By continually listening to customers, we can fine tune our offerings, not only meeting, but exceeding their expectations.

Avolta opened its first Eataly location in a North American airport in January 2026 – at JFK’s Terminal 8.

With Kearney’s latest travel retail study, ‘The World in Flux: Travel Retail amid Today’s Geopolitical Realities’ showing that 40% of travellers question duty-free value – what action needs to be taken to restore confidence in the duty-free price promise moving forward?

Rossinyol: Travellers want clarity and simplicity, especially when global price perceptions vary. As an industry we need to communicate value more clearly at every stage of the journey – from digital channels to in-store messaging. Club Avolta, our global loyalty programme, offers us a way to show travellers a coherent and connected network, demonstrating real value through loyalty across global travel retail and F&B stores. In this sense, and in this digital world we live in, data has a crucial role to play in this process. By understanding what travellers expect in each market, we can build pricing structures that are fair, competitive, and easy to compare. At the same time, we should, and do, enhance the overall offer through differentiation – exclusive products, strong gifting propositions, personalisation, and premium experiences that reinforce why duty-free is so unique. If we combine transparency, digital engagement, and a sharper value story, we can rebuild trust and strengthen the duty-free price promise for the long term.

Moving forward, what do you expect to be the biggest breakthrough in the way technology can be utilised to give your business a boost in the channel?

Rossinyol: The real breakthrough is in being able to use technology to understand travellers better and make their journey feel more intuitive. We’re finally reaching a point where data and AI can help us recognise what people need in the moment, as they move through the airport. And this isn’t about more technology for the sake of it – it’s about making things simpler. For example, helping travellers find what they want more easily, supporting our teams with smarter tools, and connecting our digital touchpoints with our stores in a way that feels natural and intuitive. AI and digital may help us understand travellers. But it’s important to note that it’s our people that make them feel welcome. When we get this right, the experience becomes smoother for travellers and more rewarding for everyone involved.

This article first appeared as part of the Global Industry Survey 2026, which featured in the January 2026 issue of TRBusiness.

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