Wendy Gallagher
Diego Lord appointed Bacardi Latam manager
Bacardi Global Travel Retail has announced the appointment of Diego Lord as the Division’s manager for South America. Diego, who will be based in Buenos Aires, was formerly Sales Manager for Philip Morris International.
American airlines wants more of Brazil
American Airlines wants to add an additional 17 weekly flights from the U.S. to Brazil. The airline asked the U.S. Department of Transportation for additional flights from Miami and New York international airports to various airports in Brazil.
Brazil airport contracts must be honoured
Contracts for the privatization of three major airports in Brazil are scheduled to be signed next week, after which a four-month transition period will see current concession contracts with the government signed over to the new airport operators. Infraero (the government body that operates Brazil’s main airports), tells The Latin America Report there are currently [...]
Grant’s takes top awards
William Grant & Sons is in celebration mode. Not only does the distiller turn 125 years old this year, its blended Scotch whisky took double gold at this year’s Scotch Whisky Masters Awards for two of its variants: Grant’s 12 Year Old and Grant’s Ale Cask Finish. The family distiller also took the coveted Master [...]
LAN TAM in final merger stage
LATAM Airlines Group, a merger between Brazil’s TAM Airlines and Chile’s LAN Airlines, is one step closer to becoming a reality. A share swap, with TAM shareholders receiving a common share in the new airline, is expected to end in mid-June. The merger in 2010 of Colombia’s Avianca Airlines and Central America’s TACA Airlines has [...]
Blame the Caipirinhas
Airports sometimes serve as a place for much more than eating, shopping and catching a plane. Officials detained an American tourist in Rio de Janeiro’s international airport earlier this week after he tried to leave the country without paying his hotel bill of more than US $7,000, of which US $3,00 was for Caipirinhas, the [...]
WiT meets in South America
Businesswomen attending the upcoming Asutil conference in Iguazu Falls, Argentina, are invited to a WiT (Women in Travel) meeting to network and to help raise money for a worthy cause. This is the third WiT Latin American meeting, and this year proceeds from the charity auction and raffle will benefit School N°875 Doña Mercedes García [...]
Hop-on phones offer target marketing, safety
Passengers arriving at the International airport in Cancun now have an option to purchase a Hop-on cellular telephone, providing them with features ranging from emergency 911 service to direct marketing features. Peter Michaels, CEO of Hop-on stated, “Hop-on phones have 911 services tied into the local carriers in Mexico and the United States. The tourism [...]
Asutil registration numbers up
Registration numbers for the upcoming Asutil (South American Duty Free Association) conference are slightly ahead of last year’s numbers, according to Secretary General José Luis Donagaray. Already 270 delegates are registered for the conference, May 30-June 2 in Iguazú Falls, Argentina. Registered suppliers have an opportunity to book meetings with buyers in the region using [...]
ASUR duty free revenues increase 31.3 percent
Mexican airport operator ASUR reports a 31.3 percent increase in duty free revenues during the first three months of 2012. ASUR operates nine airports in southeast Mexico, including Cancun. Total passenger traffic was up 10.38 percent over the same period last year, with growth in international passenger traffic up 5.83 percent. Commercial revenues increased 26.48 [...]
Airport Infra Expo begins today in São Paulo
Airport Infra Expo, which begins today, offers attendees insight into many segments of airport operation in Brazil and the rest of Latin America. The event offers attendees insight into many segments of airport operation in Brazil and the rest of Latin America. The Latin America Report is a sponsor of the event, which includes keynote [...]
Lima airport named best in region
Jorge Chávez International Airport in Lima was named best airport in South America at the annual World Airport Awards held last week in Vienna. “We congratulate the management and staff of Jorge Chávez International Airport Lima on the fantastic achievement in securing both Best Airport in South America and the Best Airport Staff in South [...]
Three bids for Quito airport duty free concession
Three companies have submitted bids for the duty free operation of the new airport in Quito. The airport is expected to open this October. Gustavo Aguilar, Commercial Director for Corporación Quiport, tells The Latin America Report an announcement on the winner could be made as early as next week. (In a recent blog, The Latin [...]
Johnnie Walker releases TR exclusive
Diageo introduces a global travel retail exclusive, Johnnie Walker Blue Label – The Casks Edition. Johnnie Walker Master Blender Jim Beveridge says, “This limited edition is a chance to enjoy the remarkable experience of Johnnie Walker Blue Label in a new way. Only one in ten thousand of our casks have sufficient character for Johnnie [...]
European airports benefiting from Brazilian travel
Passenger traffic between Europe and Brazil has reached impressive double-digit figures so far this year. BAA reports traffic between Heathrow and Brazil increased 62.3 percent in March compared to March 2011. Munich Airport reports flights to Brazil saw a 67 percent rise in total passengers in the first quarter of 2012 over the same period [...]
WGS to auction rare whisky for charity
Members of the travel retail community have an opportunity to bid on a rare bottle of whisky, with proceeds going to charity. To honour the 110th birthday of Janet Sheed Roberts, the granddaughter of William Grant (founder of the Glenfiddich distillery), William Grant & Sons is releasing 11 bottles of its 55-year-old single malt Scotch [...]
Passengers on Latin carriers up 11 percent in February
The Latin American and Caribbean Air Transport Association (ALTA) announced that its member airlines carried 11.3 million passengers in February, up 11 percent from the previous year. Traffic grew 13 percent and capacity increased 13.4 percent. The number of passengers carried year-to-date increased 8.2 percent versus the same period of the previous year, reaching 24.5 [...]
Asutil reveals speaker line up
The upcoming Asutil conference will offer a variety of topics from speakers from around the world.
Anne Kavanagh, CEO of Kavanagh Communications, will speak on Social Media – Investing in the 24/7 Conversation; Carlos Melconian, Director M&S Consultores, Argentina, will analyze the economic conditions in Latin America, U.S. and Europe; Roland Stieger, Head of Sales, Néstle International Travel Retail, will discuss Untapped Opportunities to Drive Category Growth [...]
More Brazilian airports could be privatized
The operation of more Brazilian airports could be handed over to private companies, according to Brazil’s Planning Minister Miriam Belchior. Belchior was the guest speaker at the Brazilian-American Chamber of Commerce luncheon in New York on Thursday. She told attendees an announcement regarding privatization of more Brazilian airports would be made within a few months. [...]
Abella to become new director at Diageo GTME
Diageo GTME announced today that Roland Abella, currently Managing Director of India, will assume the role of managing director GTME as of May 1. After two years leading the GTME business, Jane Ewing will hand over the role to Abella. An announcement on Ewing’s next role is expected in the near future. Abella has been [...]
Quito airport set to release RFPs
The new airport in Quito, Ecuador is looking for retailers. Scheduled to open in October, 2012, the airport consortium Quiport will issue an RFP for retail spaces April 2. Quiport’s Commercial Director Carlos Criado tells The Latin America Report that the corporation will also issue an RFP for food and beverage concessions this week. Corporación [...]
Qantas makes first flight to Santiago today
The inaugural Qantas flight from Sydney to Santiago departed this morning. From today Qantas will offer three return services a week on the Sydney-Santiago route operated by a Boeing 747. LAN Airlines will code share on the Qantas services while the Australian airline will continue to codeshare on LAN’s daily services between Sydney and Santiago [...]
Changes at London Supply
Tremendous growth over the last few years for Argentinean operator London Supply has lead to management changes effective this month. Long-term employee Francisco (Paco) Heredia, who served many years as Commercial Manager, will now be in charge of New Project Management. Taking over his post is Maria Magdalena Ducos. Lara Plaza has been named manager [...]
Cruise ships turned away from Malvinas
Tension between Argentina and the UK over the British-held Malvina (Falkland) Islands is now affecting tourism in the region. On Feb. 27 the Argentinean government refused to allow two cruise ships bearing British flags that had just come from the Malvinas, to dock in the province of Tierra del Fuego. The cruise ships were carrying [...]
Interjet spreads its wings
Mexico’s low-cost carrier Interjet continues to expand its international flights. On Feb. 23, Interjet made its first flight to Miami, and offers daily flights to the city from Mexico City. The airline, only six years old, also flies to Guatemala, Havana and San Antonio, Texas. It also designates one of its onboard lavatories for ladies [...]
New markets benefit Luxottica Group
Luxottica Group is confident its entry into emerging markets will represent 30 percent of its wholesale division’s net sales by 2015. The Italian-based eyewear company recently completed its acquisition of Tecnol, a leading eyewear operator in Brazil, and last year obtained 97 percent control of Multiopticas, a company that controls more than 470 optical stores [...]
Travel retail executives to speak at airport expo
Executives from nearly 20 countries will converge in São Paulo in April for Airport Infra Expo, an event to discuss the growth of airport infrastructure in Latin America, particularly in Brazil. The expo will take place April 24-26 in 20,000 square meters of indoor and outdoor exhibition space. Guest speakers include Jose Carlos Rosa, Dufry [...]
Brugal 1888 coming to the Americas
Brand-owner The Edrington Group and distributor Rémy Cointreau Travel Retail Americas will use the IAADFS Duty Free Show (booth 113) next month as the launch pad for Brugal 1888rum in the Americas duty free and travel retail market. Brugal 1888 is expected to receive an enthusiastic welcome from travellers at airports in North, Central and [...]
WGS sets milestones in 2011
William Grant & Sons will have a lot to celebrate at the upcoming IAADFS show in Orlando. Last year the company’s Glenfiddich become the first ever single malt to break the one million case barrier (IWSR) while maintaining a faster growth in value over volume. As well, for the first time, Grant’s broke the five [...]
Asutil registration now open
The conference website for the South American Duty Free Association (Asutil) is now online (http://conferencia2012.asutil.org) Re-scheduled to the new dates of May 30 to June 2 in Iguazu, Argentina, the conference website offers a registration link as well as links to three of the host hotels. An early bird registration fee of US $500 for [...]
New kiosk in Lima airport
Go Travel Accessories will open a new kiosk in Lima’s Jorge Chávez International Airport next month. The six-metre long kiosk in the international departures area will be open 24 hours a day giving travellers access to all their travel accessory needs, says Mark Lewis-Jones of Innova Distributors Inc., the distributor for Go Travel Accessories in [...]
New terminal opens in Brazil
Brazil’s Guarulhos airport in São Paulo opened its newest terminal yesterday. According to Infraero, Brazil’s national airport authority, Terminal 4 can handle 5.5 million passengers a year, bringing the entire airport’s capacity to 31.4 million yearly. Guarulhos is Brazil’s busiest airport. To guide passengers through the new terminal, Infraero employees will wear a yellow vest [...]
Corporación America among winners in Brazil airport auction
Argentina’s Corporación America has won the concession to run Brasilia airport. The company, part of a consortium with Brazilian engineering/construction firm Engevis Engenharia SA, won the 25-year contract to operate and build new terminals in the Brazilian capital city’s airport with a bid of USD 2.6 billion, well over the minimum bid set by the [...]
ASUR announces bid for Brazilian airports
Mexican airport operator ASUR announced today it will make a bid, together with Advent International, on the Brazilian airport concessions. To speed up necessary infrastructure improvements in the country ahead of the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Summer Olympics, the Brazilian government announced late last year it would allow public companies to submit bids for [...]
Air travel in Brazil triples
The need to build and upgrade airports in Brazil ahead of the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics being hosted in the country was made more evident this week. On Wednesday, Brazil’s aviation authority ANAC said demand for flights in Brazil has risen 194 percent in the past 10 years. Last year, air travel demand [...]
Copa adds four new routes
Copa Airlines will begin non-stop service in June from Panama to four new destinations: Recife, Brazil; Liberia, (Guanacaste), Costa Rica; Las Vegas and Curaçao. Last year Copa Airlines transported 8.8 million passengers and experienced a growth in capacity of more than 20 percent over 2010. “Our sustained growth in the past few years has reinforced [...]
South American tourism momentum continues
The number of tourists visiting South America increased 10 percent for the second consecutive year, according to the UN World Tourism Organization. Worldwide, international tourist arrivals grew by more than 4 percent in 2011 to 980 million, according to the latest statistics. With growth expected to continue in 2012, at a somewhat slower rate, international [...]
World of Patria diversifies
World of Patria International has diversified its product range with two new charging items from powerpacksales.com. The new line will be introduced at the Duty Free Show of the Americas in March (booth 1300). “Yes our forte is as a travel retail distributor of premium and super premium spirits and wines, along with beer, but we [...]
Orlando show expects more than 160 exhibitors
There is a high return rate among 2011 exhibitors for this year’s IAADFS Duty Free Show of the Americas, according to the association, which reports more than 160 exhibitors are expected to showcase their products and services. As well many companies are requesting larger booth spaces at the show, held March 11-14 at the Orlando [...]
Passenger surge calls for more planes
Avianca and AeroGal airlines collectively flew 11 percent more international travellers in 2011 compared to the previous year. The Colombian and Ecuadorian carriers, which operate under AviancaTaca, confirmed an order of 51 new Airbus A320 jets this week, the largest single order yet in Latin America according to French manufacturer Airbus. Last year the carriers [...]
New Cutty Sark blend
Cutty Sark launches a new limited-edition blend this month. Tam o’Shanter Blended Scotch Whisky is a development of Cutty Sark 25yo with a “darker, wilder side” from the poem from which it takes its name. Cutty Sark was the name of the famous tea clipper ship, built in 1869, which sailed around the world. The [...]
Panama top choice to visit
Good news for retailers in Panama. The New York Times has named the Central American country as the top destination of 45 places it recommends visiting in 2012. Referring to the country’s booming economy, the newspaper said the U.S.-Panama free trade agreement signed last October will further boost an international exchange of people and currency. [...]
Carlton to close for renovations
The InterContinental Carlton will undergo a major refurbishment which will result in its closure during TFWA World Exhibition 2012. TFWA is confident that satisfactory alternative accommodation will be offered to all participants at TFWA World Exhibition which will take place October 21 to 26, 2012. Preparations for the work have already started and the hotel [...]
Upgrades awarded for Macaé airport
Brazil’s airport authority Infraero has awarded a US$24.5 million tender to a consortium for the refurbishment and expansion of Rio de Janeiro state’s Macaé airport, according to local newswire BNamericas. Infraero awarded the contract to a three-company consortium comprised of construction firms CVS, Tejofran and CCI. The tender includes building a new passenger terminal and [...]
Contracts awarded in Bogotá
Grupo Wisa and Motta Internacional have started 2012 on a high note, with each winning duty free concessions the new El Dorado International Airport in Bogotá. Motta Internacional CEO Erasmo Orillac tells The Latin America Report that his company is still negotiating terms of the contract and further details will be forthcoming. The new terminal [...]
L’Oréal to open Rio research centre
L’Oréal products tailored for the Brazilian and Latin American markets could soon be conceived in Rio de Janeiro. The L’Oréal Group has had operations in Brazil for 50 years and plans to set up its Latin American Research and Innovation Center in Rio de Janeiro. The cosmetics company recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with [...]
Emirates makes inaugural flight to region
Emirates’ inaugural Flight 247 made its first landing at Galeão-Antonio Carlos Jobim International Airport in Rio de Janeiro last week, where it was initiated by a traditional water cannon salute. The flight was operated by Argentine Captain Marcos Medina, then departed for its first onwards connection to Buenos Aires. “This new linked service will not [...]
New Liberia terminal to open Thursday
A new airport terminal in Costa Rica will finally open on Thursday. Daniel Oduber International Airport in Liberia will be able to handle 1,500 passengers an hour. However, concessionaire Coriport faces $500,000 in fines by the Civil Aviation Authority because of the delays, according to the local newspaper The Tico Times. The terminal was scheduled [...]
New Dufry appointments
Dufry has announced new appointments for its South American division. Alvaro Neto has been appointed as Country General Manager of Uruguay and will report to Oscar García Pedrosa, DCOO of the Business Unit Argentina, Uruguay and Ecuador. Neto has been working with Dufry since November 2004. In his previous position Neto was São Paulo International [...]
Latin/Caribbean passenger traffic rises
The Latin American and Caribbean Air Transport Association (ALTA) announced that its member airlines carried 11.7 million passengers in November, up 7.2 percent from the previous year. The number of passengers carried year-to-date increased 3.7 percent, reaching 126.8 million passengers. ALTA has more than 25 member airlines and represents more than 90 percent of the [...]
