INDIA. Refex Airports and Transportation has been awarded the retail master concession contracts at Pune International and Srinagar airports by Airports Authority of India.
Refex Airports and Transportation is part of the Chennai-based Refex Group, founded by airport industry veterans Sidharath Kapur and Romy Juneja. It aims to become a major player in travel retail.
As reported, Airports Authority of India last year launched tenders for retail and food & beverage outlets covering over 2,000sq m at Pune International Airport.
The retail concession runs for a maximum seven-year term (minimum three-and-a-half years).
The contract is for spaces covering a total retail area of 1,206sq m, which will be divided into two phases. The first phase covers 831.1sq m on the ground and first floors of the new integrated terminal building, which was inaugurated virtually by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday. The second phase includes 375sq m in the existing terminal buildings.
The company noted that the commercial offer will elevate the passenger experience at Pune Airport, which registered 9.5 million passengers in 2023, a notable increase from the 6.9 million it recorded in 2022.
Refex is also expected to enhance the retail offerings and “bring a paradigm shift in the passenger experience” at Srinagar Airport, a rapidly growing prime tourist destination. The travel hub welcomed 4.4 million passengers in 2023, a nearly +40% increase from the previous year.
As the master concessionaire, the company said it is in an advanced stage of onboarding prime brands at both airports. ✈
