Dufry, a Swiss capital company managed by the Catalan Xavier Rossinyol, has taken over the management of the 'duty free' stores at the airports of Catalonia, that is, El Prat, Girona and Reus, and Madrid. The contest is considered the largest tender for duty-free shops in the world and Dufry was the only company to bid in a second round, as there were no bidders in the first attempt.
The board of directors of Aena has ended up awarding, therefore, this Tuesday the six lots of the tender to end the process. Aena included in the tender documents a new clause to prevent passenger sinking like the one suffered during the covid pandemic. If any airport suffers a drop in traffic above 50%, the rent may be reduced by 30%.
The volume of business expected for the tenants in this tender is 18,000 million and includes 86 tax-free points of sale, plus 76 stores dedicated to additional categories. Together they will occupy a commercial area of approximately 66,000 square metres, which represents an increase of more than 40% compared to today. Of these, the jewel in the crown are Catalonia and Madrid, whose four airports represent 44% of the total guaranteed minimum income from the tender.
In total, the offers presented for all the airports improve the rents of 2023 by 16.3%, explains the company chaired by Maurici Lucena. Specifically, the minimum rents of the offers of all contracts for 2024 will amount to 448 million euros. This year those same revenues will be 385 million, so Aena guarantees an increase of 16.3%.
Regarding the lots in Catalonia and Madrid, the tender contemplates minimum income of 185 million for next year, while the current contract, for 2023, contemplates income of almost 180 million. The economic improvement is 2.8%. Variables must be added to the guaranteed minimum income in each contract.
With this award from Dufry, the process of renovating the duty free stores of the 27 airports in the Aena network concludes. The contracts cover a period of twelve years, with the option of three annual extensions. Current agreements end on October 31.
According to Aena, "these results demonstrate the attractiveness of the business, as well as the consolidation of the recovery of air traffic after the pandemic." The contest also highlights "the excellent technical proposals, whose initiatives will be implemented in airport stores to offer a service of the highest quality."
