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Seattle Tacoma Airport plans to launch a tender for its three duty free stores in early 2012 |
US. Hudson Group, a division of Dufry, has taken over management of Seattle Tacoma International Airport’s duty free operations from previous incumbent HMSHost under a short-term agreement. The Port of Seattle is preparing to issue a duty free tender for the business under a longer term concession in early 2012.
Hudson is the prime news & gift and speciality retailer at Seattle, and took over management of the duty free business on 15 August on an interim basis, trading at three locations under the name Seattle Duty Free. The deal includes supply and retail.
Port of Seattle Manager, Concessions Business Group Deanna Zachrisson told The Moodie Report: “HMSHost’s contract had lapsed into holdover status and by this time [the company] operated no other retail in the airport. For a combination of reasons, we elected to allow Hudson to add the duty free operation to their existing operation on a short term basis.”
This arrangement will run until next year, when the airport plans to hold a tender covering all three locations, including a renovation of the main store in the international departures satellite.
“This satellite has been and continues to undergo significant renovations as a result of the consolidation of Northwest Airlines and Delta Airlines to this same gate area,” said Zachrisson. “The current duty free location is slated for demolition and relocation sometime in late 2012. In general, the international satellite will continue to be constrained for space, but we expect to be able to build a better configured and slightly larger unit. We are still working on the design of the new space.” The existing main duty free outlet measures 3,900sq ft.
She added: “We expect the tender to be issued in early 2012. It will be a concession for three units.”
