RIYADH: Passengers traveling through the King Abdulaziz International Airport can anticipate an enhanced shopping experience as a license has been awarded to a consortium led by the Riyadh-based Astra Group to operate a duty-free market.
The joint venture, also comprising Hamburg-based Gebr. Heinemann and Jordanian Duty Free Shops will bring world-class brands across multiple categories in beauty, fashion, accessories and confectionaries to the airport.
Jeddah Airports Co., which manages the airport, has granted a commercial operation license for seven years, spanning a 10 sq. meter duty-free area, according to a press statement.
The company said that the contract award aligns with the organization’s development efforts to provide travelers with the best and most diverse shopping service.
“It also aims to provide solutions that meet their aspirations and needs, in addition to the company’s continuous pursuit of achieving the goals of the National Transport and Logistics Strategy and Saudi Vision 2030,” Jeddah Airports Co. added in the statement.
Saudi Arabia’s National Transport and Logistics Strategy aims to increase the sector’s contribution to the Kingdom’s gross domestic product to 10 percent from the current 6 percent.
Raed bin Ibrahim Al-Medhiam, chairman of the board of directors of Jeddah Airports Co., noted that granting the commercial license to operate a duty-free market to the new consortium will give an additional advantage to King Abdulaziz International Airport as one of the largest aviation hubs in the world.
He added that the awarding of the contract is also in line with the airport’s target to become one of the fastest-growing in the world in terms of passenger numbers and operational activity.
Al-Medhiam underscored that King Abdulaziz International Airport aims to serve more than 114 million passengers, launch new travel destinations reaching 150, and increase non-aviation revenues to 45 percent of total revenues by 2030.
The enhanced shopping experience at the King Abdulaziz International Airport is also expected to strengthen Saudi Arabia’s National Tourism Strategy.
Saudi Arabia’s National Tourism Strategy aims to attract over 150 million visitors by the end of this decade.
Ayman bin Abdulaziz Abuabbah, CEO of Jeddah Airports Co., said that the agreement aims to develop services at the airport and enhance travelers’ experiences by creating a distinctive duty-free market.
