Saudi Arabia Newsroom
Lagardère Travel Retail generates record Q3 revenues as Africa, Middle East and South America shine
Lagardère Travel Retail today posted a record third quarter with revenue up +5.0% on a like-for-like basis to €1,695 million, driven by all geographic areas except North Asia and the start-up of duty-free activities at Auckland Airport, New Zealand.
The bright 907sq m facility, which has panoramic airfield views, is designed to serve up to 650,000 guests annually.
“This isn’t just a launch; it’s a tangible realisation of a vision to connect Saudi Arabia to the world, a core pillar of Saudi Vision 2030,” says Riyadh Air CEO Tony Douglas.
Located between terminals 1 and 2, the nearly 2,000sq m lounge offers seating for approximately 370 guests and will be exclusive to Business Class and Business Elite passengers.
The Moodie Davitt Report President Dermot Davitt was on hand for the inauguration of Jeddah Duty Free’s new airside space this week; we bring you his impressions of the store and key categories, plus reaction from partners in the retail JV and the airport company.
The Moodie Davitt Report President and Editorial Director Dermot Davitt is on location in Jeddah for the milestone opening, described as “the perfect balance between a global mindset and local culture”.
The office is the Plaza Premium Group’s second regional base in the EMEA region. Its launch coincides with the company’s tenth year of operations in Saudi Arabia.
The two-day summit, which began on Monday (1 September), brought together the commercial leadership teams of the group’s four airport companies – Jeddah Airports, Riyadh Airports, Dammam Airports and Cluster2.
Alongside an expanded presence in Madinah, Lagardère Travel Retail has extended its footprint at other regional (Cluster 2) airports with a first duty-free store in Tabuk following openings at Taif and Qassim, with Hail and Abha to com.
The new listing at Riyadh Duty Free builds on the brand’s momentum in the region, following its successful launch at Abu Dhabi Duty Free in early July.
“We have demonstrated that our plan to be a diversified leader in the promising fields of publishing, travel retail and media is solid,” says Louis Hachette Group CEO & Chairman Jean-Christophe Thiery.
The global campaign has been adapted by local markets to bring the spirit of summer to life both in-store and online, from HPP displays to impactful digital screens, to ecommerce and local social media channels.
The inbound figure marked a +70% leap compared to pre-pandemic 2019. Domestic tourism climbed by +5% year-on-year in 2024 to 86.2 million.














