JEDDAH — Jeddah Airports Company (JEDCO) has announced the award of a duty-free contract on Wednesday for Terminal 1 and the North Terminal at King Abdulaziz International Airport. This contract has been awarded to a Joint Venture comprising a mix of national and international experts in the field. The Joint Venture, which includes Gebr. Heinemann, Jordanian Duty-Free Shops, and The Astra Group, attracted top global talent in the Duty-Free industry. This newly-formed consortium combines world-class Duty-Free operators with a deep understanding of the Saudi Arabian market. It aims to offer an exceptional array of brands across various sectors, including Beauty, Fashion, Accessories, Confectionery, and more. Under the agreement, the consortium has been granted a commercial operation license for a 10,000 square meter Duty-Free area at King Abdulaziz International Airport, valid for a period of 7 years. This initiative is part of JEDCO's ongoing commitment to enhance the overall passenger experience at the airport. The agreement was formally signed by Eng. Raed Al Medhiam, chairman of the Board of Directors of Jeddah Airports Company, and Ayman Abuabbah, CEO of Jeddah Airports. Representing the Joint Venture companies were Florian Seidel, CSO of Heinemann Africa GmbH; Haitham Al Majali, CEO of Jordanian Duty Free; and Ghassan Akeel, CEO of Arab Supply & Trading Company. This agreement is significant because it brings together global experts in Duty-Free market operations and specialists in the Saudi market, providing passengers with access to top brands in Beauty, Fashion, Accessories, Confectionery, and other sectors, all under one roof. This aligns with Jeddah Airports Company's commitment to delivering high-quality services and diverse options for airport travelers, in collaboration with its partners. It also supports the goals of the National Transport and Logistics Strategy and Saudi Vision 2030. Al Medhiam highlighted that granting the commercial license to this new consortium with over 30 years of operational experience in the aviation sector will further strengthen the position of King Abdulaziz International Airport, positioning it as one of the world's largest airports. This aligns with the airport's vision of becoming one of the fastest-growing airports globally in terms of passenger numbers and operational activity. Al Medhiam emphasized Jeddah Airports Company's dedication to enhancing the quality of services at the airport, in line with developments in the aviation sector and with the full support of the government of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and the Crown Prince. He pointed out that King Abdulaziz International Airport aims to serve more than 114 million passengers, expand its travel destinations to 150, and increase non-aviation revenues to 45% of total revenues by 2030, with Jeddah Airports Company steadfast in its strategic plan to achieve these ambitious targets. Abuabbah noted that the agreement aims to elevate the airport's services and enhance travelers' experiences by creating a distinctive Duty-Free market that ranks among the best globally, in line with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's esteemed status. This move comes amid the remarkable progress witnessed by the aviation sector in general and King Abdulaziz International Airport in particular. He emphasized the agreement's significance in contributing to the strategic goals of the transport and logistics sector in the Kingdom, enriching the travel experience at the airport, which is experiencing continuous growth in operational activity. In conclusion, Gebr. Heinemann, a German company founded in Hamburg in 1879, operates major stores at 78 airports in more than 28 countries. On the other hand, the Arab Supply & Trading Company "ASTRA," founded in Riyadh in 1976, has branches in more than 11 countries. The Jordanian Duty-Free company, established in Amman in 1997, manages more than 23 shops across various strategic locations.
