Spanish Airports Authority to put Duty Free Shops out to tender.

The Spanish Airports Authority (AENA Aeropuertos SA) are set to announce the tender to manage the countrywide duty free shops in the country. AENA is the public body which owns the majority of the airports (with the exception of two privately owned airports) and also controls the air traffic control body. Aena is the world's largest airport operator with 47 airports and two heliports in Spain (carrying 193 million passengers in 2010) and participation in airports in Mexico, the USA, Cuba, Colombia, Bolivia, Sweden and the UK.

The current operator Aldeasa, part of the Autogrill owned World Duty Free Group, has had a three year extension to the current contract which expires on 31 December 2012. The new contract is expected to increase revenues in duty free and will attract some of the big names in the duty free world - Dufry, LS travel retail, Gebr Heinemann and The Nuance Group, to name a few.

Consultants to assist in handling the tendering process are expected to soon be appointed.