It has now been confirmed that Sharm Al Sheikh Ophira Airport is to tender its duty free shop contract. Long-time operator Egyptair is now expected to face some strong competition from existing operators in the

region, including Aer Rianta International Middle East (ARIME) and possibly Aldeasa, Dufry and others.
The tender comes in a difficult year for the Egyptian location following the attacks on three hotels in Egypt's most popular Red Sea resort which killed 64 people on July 23 this year and threatened to dent Egypt's tourism industry which attracted 8m visitors last year.
But Egyptian authorities have reacted quickly and decisively, with the Minister of Civil Aviation Ahmed Shafiq ordering aeronautical charges to be halved last August, in an attempt to attract more airlines to the location. Travel agencies who had taken the location off their lists – particularly some in Italy – have since restored the resort.
A?roports de Paris manages Sharm Al Sheikh Ophira Airport as part of a five regional Egyptian airports management deal. The six-year contract, signed in December 2004, also includes the airports of Hurghada, Luxor, Asswan and Abu Simbel. An important part of ADP's remit at all five is to increase non-aeronautical revenues.