CROATIA/KAZAKHSTAN. Lagardère Travel Retail has announced a franchise agreement with TAV Airports, through the latter’s subsidiary BTA Food & Services, to open six travel essentials Relay stores at Croatia’s Zagreb Franjo Tuđman International Airport and Kazakhstan’s Almaty International Airport.
The French travel retailer said the partnership with TAV Airports, a member of Groupe ADP, “leverages TAV Airports’ deep understanding of local consumer needs and Lagardère Travel Retail’s global expertise in travel essentials”.
There will be three new stores at each airport and all will feature best-selling travel essentials alongside locally sourced products.
The venture into two new countries follows a successful year for the brand, which saw openings in new markets such as Peru in South America and the renewal of strong partnerships in key locations, including Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Paris-Orly, Auckland and Prague Vaclav Havel airports.
Lagardère Travel Retail EVP Retail Nathalie Simon commented: “We are thrilled to partner with TAV Airports to bring Relay to these new markets. At Relay, we are dedicated to providing advanced convenience to our customers and anticipating travellers’ needs.
“Our new signature, ‘Relay, What Moves You’, unveiled earlier this year, reflects our commitment to transforming travel into enjoyable and personalised experiences in an era of fast-paced journeys and ever-changing consumer demands.”
BTA Food & Services CEO Baha Bülbül said: “We are excited to expand our offer mix to passengers with the valuable partnership of Lagardère Travel Retail. The new locations in Zagreb and Almaty airports allow us to serve a broader audience and provide travellers with high-quality products and services that meet their needs on the go.”
The MZLZ consortium – which includes Groupe ADP, Bouygues, Marguerite Fund, IFC, TAV Airports and Viaduct – holds the rights to operate Zagreb Airport until 2042. The travel hub welcomed 2.4 million passengers in the first seven months of 2024, with an increase of +17% compared to the prior year.
The gateway to Kazakhstan’s economic and cultural capital, Almaty Airport welcomed 6.4 million passengers to the end of July this year. A new US$200 million international terminal was inaugurated in June. ✈
