ATÜ Duty Free, the joint venture between TAV Airports Holding and Unifree Duty Free/Gebr. Heinemann is to begin refurbishing its Riga Airport operations this week.

The company operates around eight departures shops at the airport, where it has been present since 2011. Last year Riga Airport, which handled more than 7.8 million passengers — the airport is hoping to exceed 10 million passengers by 2023 — begun work on a terminal expansion project. TRBusiness is seeking information on the retail implications and will provide further information in due course.

Ersan Arcan, CEO, ATÜ Duty Free told TRBusiness: “We are adapting our offer to the improving Riga Airport. They deserve more brands and more square meters. We are doing this to take advantage of the demand. I believe we will experience improvement towards the end of the year.”

RUSSIA TO GEORGIA FLIGHT BAN

Over in Tbilisi, Georgia, ATÜ runs four departures duty free stores at the airport spanning around 794sq m. But the suspension of direct Russian airline flights to Georgia, implemented on 8 July 2019, due to tension between Russia and Georgia has hit the business. Elsewhere in the country, the retailer operates duty free stores at Batumi and Kutaisi International Airports.

“In Tbilisi, we have nearly renovated the duty free offer, but are thinking of renewing further if we can have more space,” Arcan remarked. “We have a very nice local concept there and a beautiful and strong Georgian wine shop.”

He added: “Right now, we are lacking Russian visitors. When this small crisis is over, Georgia will be back on track in terms of growth. We are not enjoying this no Russian traffic situation in Tbilisi, but all in all it’s a profitable and beautiful business.”

Meanwhile, Arcan has revealed a strong start to 2020 at Tunis-Carthage International Airport in Tunisia, where the retailer operates six shops covering around 1,900sq m. “We have improved concepts and enhanced the assortment there,” he commented.

As the Covid-19 situation intensifies, Arcan is anticipating a challenging year. “2020 will be a controlled and defensive year because of the virus. We may actually cancel a lot of our plans because we just want to pull through.”