Maritime and Mercantile International and Emirates Leisure Retail have been appointed master concessionaire for T3 at Zanzibar’s Abeid Amani Karume International Airport.

Emirates Leisure Retail (ELR) and Maritime and Mercantile International (MMI) will be responsible for all F&B, duty-free and commercial outlets in Abeid Amani Karume International Airport's (ZNZ) newly-built Terminal 3 from spring 2022.

They will deliver a mix of Zanzibar-inspired food and beverage outlets, alongside a multi-category duty-free shopping experience designed to showcase some of the world's best brands.

Andrew Day, group CEO of Emirates Leisure Retail and MMI, said, “We're very excited to be taking the next step with Abeid Amani Karume International Airport and look forward to working with [creative collective] Eight Inc in delivering a truly innovative and seamless F&B and retail consumer experience that transforms the way travellers spend time at an airport."

UK-based Eight Inc will work with MMI and ELR to develop a new blueprint concept, which, according to the companies, is set to create a unique airport customer experience. Eight Inc will explore and create the passenger journey, across all duty-free, food and beverage and commercial spaces, incorporating a full suite of integrated digital solutions. The agency will redefine travel retail and create a sense of place for travellers, bringing together local Zanzibar character and design with the latest technologies, including a seamless payment solution that will enable travellers to pay for their F&B and retail purchases in one simple transaction. 

According to its stakeholders, the new project will become the world's first integrated F&B and retail experience in travel retail, providing travellers with a unique, integrated airport experience.

Zanzibar Abeid Amani Karume International Airport has been identified as a key investment and redevelopment pillar to support Zanzibar's growing travel and tourism economy. The newly-built Terminal 3 is expected to serve over 1.5 million passengers, with dnata servicing over 4,000 flights annually at the airport.