BENIN. Lagardère Travel Retail today announced an agreement with state-owned Société des Aéroports du Benin (SAB) to operate duty free, travel essentials and foodservice operations at Cotonou International Airport under a master concession agreement.
Local operations will be managed through a joint venture company – Lagardère Travel Retail Keyla – co-owned by Lagardère Travel Retail and local partner Keyla Distribution, the latter a Beninese company prominent in the West African retail and distribution sectors.
SAB and Lagardère Travel Retail Keyla have agreed to enter into a long-term concession contract with the new operations slated to open in 2024.
The commercial offer will comprise duty free arrivals and departures stores, a convenience store and a dining area.
Lagardère Travel Retail said this exclusive, long-term master concession contract underscores the company’s longest-standing expertise of delivering operational and commercial value through a unique ‘three business lines’ model.
The master concession model – suitable especially for mid-sized international airports – provides several benefits, Lagardère Travel Retail noted. These include a holistic understanding of customer needs to enhance the passenger experience; increased commercial revenues for both landlords and brands; and enhanced agility, flexibility, and synergies in operations.
In line with its development strategy, the Benin government has embarked on an extensive renovation and expansion programme for Cotonou International Airport.
This initiative aims to reach excellence through high international airport standards and to align the airport infrastructure with the growth of air traffic.
The airport expects to welcome over 520,000 passengers in 2023, a figure equivalent to pre-pandemic 2019. This growth is being driven by the government’s strong commitment to making tourism the cornerstone of Benin’s development. It also positions the airport as a hub in West Africa, which many airlines are considering with the ambition of opening new routes, Lagardère Travel Retail said.
The company said the key to securing the contract with SAB has been its commitment to supporting the airport in elevating the passenger experience by applying the same high standards of excellence as anywhere else in the world.
Lagardère Travel Retail pledged to harnessing its global expertise and wide network of international brands to create unique shopping experiences. It also promised to invest heavily in staff training to ensure the best customer service.
In addition to offering the most internationally recognised brands at Cotonou International Airport, Lagardère Travel Retail said it will strive to create authentic, local product offerings to bring the best of Beninese culture to travellers while effectively supporting local producers and economies.
Building on the in-depth local market understanding of its locally-empowered teams, Lagardère Travel Retail will develop an offer showcasing the unique Beninese culture, combining voodoo traditions, legends of the Abomeh amazons, folklores and tales.
As part of its commercial offering, Lagardère Travel Retail has also curated a food concept called the IROKO Bar, which calls upon the famous Beninese sacred iroko tree. The bar has been designed to be a central focus for any passenger passing through the airport.
This local and cultural approach strongly echoes the ambition of the Beninese government to leverage the tourism sector to boost economic growth, the company said.
Lagardère Travel Retail noted Benin’s stability, pointing out it already attracts increasing numbers of regional and international tourists and aims to reach two million visitors annually. The tourism sector is today the third-largest source of jobs in the country.
The creation of Lagardère Travel Retail Keyla is designed to support the airport in delivering its ambitious commercial growth plan and to best convey Benin’s rich heritage and culture. This partnership will enable strong flexibility and proximity in the management of local operations, Lagardère Travel Retail said.
Lagardère Travel Retail COO EMEA & Chief Transformation Officer Frédéric Chevalier said, “We’re delighted to have secured this exclusive master concession at Cotonou Airport alongside our very strong local partner.
“We look forward to helping raise the shopping and dining experience through our unrivalled holistic approach to passenger needs. By working closely together with Keyla, we want to support SAB in raising its standards of excellence and appeal to international travellers.
“We have significant growth ambitions for our operations on the African continent and these new operations in Benin will continue to consolidate our position as a leading international travel retailer in the region.”
SAB Commercial Manager Armand Kpindjo added: “Confidence and partnership are the two key words of our deal with Lagardère Travel Retail Keyla. With a refurbished and certified airport, Cotonou aims to offer the best experience to passengers as well as increase nonregulated revenues.
“The international reputation of Lagardère Travel Retail associated to the African know-how of Keyla is the most relevant way to develop a true partnership based on a custom-made offer fitting passenger expectations.”
Lagardère Travel Retail has pursued an active expansion strategy since 2017 in West Africa where the group now operates in five countries: Senegal, Gabon, Mauritania, Gambia and Benin. ✈
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