Wendy Gallagher

Aeropuertos de Honduras will invest US$300 million in the country’s airports, including building a new terminal in Palmerola. The company announced it will spend US$129 million to construct a new terminal said to accommodate up to one million passengers. It will also make improvements to airports in San Pedro, Roatan, La Ceiba and Tegucigalpa. Aeropuertos [...]

The Brazilian government released the rules regarding the auction for the concessions of three of its airports last Thursday. The public auction for the concessions at Guarulhos, Campinas and Brasilia airports will be held simultaneously on February 6, 2012 at the São Paulo Stock Exchange. The auction is open to Brazilian and international companies. While [...]

Emirates will begin flights to Buenos Aires beginning January 3, 2012. Argentinean President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner was among more than 800 guests from local industries, the travel trade and the government, who gathered for a gala dinner in Buenos Aires last week for the announcement. “Emirates’ first destination in Argentina is a significant next [...]

Coty Prestige will launch pop icon Madonna’s first fragrance. The fragrance, Truth or Dare by Madonna, will debut exclusively at Macy’s next April, with global distribution beginning in May. This is the singer’s first fragrance. “Madonna is the marquis addition to Coty’s unrivaled brand portfolio and further establishes us as cutting edge leaders in the [...]

Airport operators in Spain and Germany have shown interest in operating three of Brazil’s largest airports. Spain’s airport operator Grupo Aena confirmed it will partner with private developer OHL Concessions to participate in the bidding for the upgrading and operation of three Brazilian airports. Earlier this year, Brazil announced it would allow for private investment [...]

Diageo organic net sales increased 30 percent in Latin America and Caribbean in the third quarter of 2011. “Each market in the Latin America and Caribbean region delivered very strong double digit growth and the performance in Venezuela benefitted from comparison against reduced shipments in the prior period,” according to Paul Walsh, CEO Diageo. “Diageo [...]

It was the best of times and the worst of times. My week in Cannes started off on a sour note late Saturday, however the generosity of colleagues and strangers continues to reinforce my belief that there is good in everyone. Arriving at any airport and waiting for luggage after 12 hours of travelling can [...]

South America saw an increase of 15 percent in tourist arrivals compared to the same time in 2010. According to UNWTO, international tourism grew by almost 5 percent in the first half of 2011 totalling a new record of 440 million arrivals. Results confirm that, in spite of multiple challenges, international tourism continues to consolidate [...]

The South American duty free association (Asutil) announced the dates of its 2012 conference. Traditionally held in September, organizers have announced that the conference will be held for the second year in a row in June. With record attendance this year, the June date appears to be a more convenient time of the year for [...]

Brazilian travel to Europe continues to increase, with record spending in June. According to statistics from the Brazilian government, Brazilians spent US1.4 billion in Europe in June, an increase of 39.9 percent over the same month in 2010. With the Real continuing to gain strength, more residents are making trips to Europe. July spending in [...]

Australian carrier Qantas will begin a new route to Santiago. The new service is part of the Qantas Group’s five-year plan to build a truly modern, customer-focused and competitive global airline business, says a company statement. In early 2012, Qantas will begin direct flights between Sydney and Santiago. This service will operate three times a [...]

The association representing airlines in Latin America and the Caribbean hosts its annual forum, November 16-18 in Rio de Janeiro. The largest event of its nature in the Latin America and Caribbean commercial aviation industry, ALTA’s Airline Leaders Forum is designed to promote an international dialogue that advances safer, more efficient aviation in the region. [...]

Villars Maître Chocolatier launches a new metal collector’s box full of sweet indulgence. The Villars Collection boxes are based on the original prints created for Villars by artists that express the “art nouveau”, trend of the 1920s. For more information regarding Villars assortment visit the Bonardo Travel Retail stand at TFWA (L-29 Blue Village).

Dufry continues to dominate the news with the announcement of more new concessions and a strong first half in sales. Today, the Swiss-based travel retail operator announced a turnover of 10.2 percent in the first half of 2011, based on constant exchange rates. In South America, Dufry won tenders and opened a duty paid shop [...]

Travel retail giant Dufry has gone on a major shopping spree. Today (Thursday, August 4) it signed and concluded several acquisitions in what they define as emerging markets, including Interbaires in Argentina as well as airport operations in Uruguay, Ecuador, Armenia and Martinique. Julian Diaz, CEO of Dufry, commented: “The companies that we were able [...]

Travalo, the award-winning refillable perfume spray, launches the new Travalo Excel next month. The Excel will be showcased at the TFWA World Exhibition in September (Stand D37). The new Excel model is 20 percent larger than the original Travalo Classic and carries up to 30 percent more fragrance. The lipstick-style case protects the Excel from [...]

A case of whisky headed to Brazil marked the 400 millionth case of whisky produced at Diageo’s Shieldhall bottling plant. Staff at the plant raised a glass to the global success of Scotch last Friday as the case was dispatched. Shieldhall in Glasgow is the world’s largest Scotch whisky packaging plant. The breakthrough comes at [...]

Airline route website Anna.Aero reports passenger traffic at Paraguay’s airport increased 23 percent last year. Silvio Pettirossi International Airport, in the capital city of Asunción, saw more than 700,000 passengers in 2010, a record for the airport, according to Anna.Aero.com. Passenger numbers have almost doubled in the past six years.

L’Oréal Travel Retail introduces Loverdose by Diesel. The new scent will roll out in travel retail beginning in September. At the end of August, major events called ‘Loverdose me’ will take place in main airports, with special spaces dressed with Loverdose colours. ‘Love cabins’ will offer souvenir photos and tasty cocktails will be offered in [...]

For more than two weeks, a Polish man waited inside the São Paulo International Airport waiting for a friend, who never did arrive. Brazilian media report the 44-year-old man traveled to São Paulo from London on June 17. He arrived penniless, without a return ticket and couldn’t speak Portuguese. Airport cleaners gave him food, cigarettes [...]

More than 50 Aerolineas Argentinas flights were cancelled yesterday, a result of more volcanic ash in the skies over the region. Chile’s Puyehue volcano erupted in early June, the first time in decades, causing travel chaos throughout the region. However, more dust and ash have been released into the air in the past few days, [...]

Argentinean president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner was one of many officials on hand Saturday to officially open the new Terminal C at Ezeiza International Airport in Buenos Aires. The first flight will depart Thursday morning to Rio de Janeiro. According to airport operator Aeropuertos Argentina 2000, construction costs of the new terminal were approximately US$150 [...]

Passenger traffic at Mexico’s ASUR airports rose in May. The company reports a three-percent increase over May 2010. More than 1.42 million passengers passed through ASUR’s nine airports last month. Cancun, its largest airport, saw more than one million passengers in May.

Special recognition has been given to Santiago’s international airport for its recovery following last February’s earthquake. The recognition was given during IATA’s (International Air Transport Association) annual Eagle Awards, held in Singapore Monday, for outstanding achievements in air navigation service providers and airports. The association gave special recognition to the cooperative efforts of SCL (Arturo [...]

Brazil is turning to the private sector to help get three of its airports renovated in time for the upcoming World Cup and Olympics and to ease passenger flow as the country’s tourism numbers continue to rise. In a press released issued Tuesday, the government said tenders will be issued before the end of the [...]