Avolta, formerly Dufry, and airport operator Corporación America Airports aim to revolutionise travel retail in Uruguay

According to the new partners, they will establish a novel business model by leveraging their combined expertise. They intend to design, implement, and operate duty-free stores that significantly enhance the overall airport experience. Embracing a data-driven approach, the partnership strives to provide passengers with a more seamless and personalised journey, the companies said.

“We aim to explore every aspect of the customer journey and airport operations, identifying opportunities for improvement through integration and collaboration,” said Martin Eurnekian, CEO of Corporación America Airports.

The companies not only align on a customer-centric approach and pursuit of improved services and experiences but also share a commitment to sustainability. They believe that by collaborating, they can amplify their influence and make a more substantial contribution to sustainable practices.

Avolta CEO Xavier Rossinyol said: “We share a mutual understanding that in order to foster sustained growth, it is imperative to revolutionise the conventional approach to conducting business within our industry. Both the retailer and the airport operator must actively engage in the innovation process and embrace calculated risks. The outdated model, anchored in high MAGs [minimum annual guarantees] that restricted operators from making substantial investments and assuming risks, is destined to become obsolete.”

Uruguay has been strategically selected as the testing ground to experiment with new ideas and processes in a controlled environment, before exporting successful outcomes to other operations.

Carrasco Airport
Carrasco Airport CAAP