17 Nov 2006
Dubai: Alpha Future, a joint venture between Pantaloon Retail (India) and Alpha Airports Group of the UK, has won the duty free retail contract at Delhi International Airport for Rs5 billion.
The contract is for a period of three years, Delhi International Airport Pvt Ltd (DIAL), said this week.
Under the contract, the Alpha-Pantaloon venture will introduce a wide range of products from global brands such as Armani, Gucci, Christian Dior, Nike, Calvin Klein and Swatch at Delhi airport stores. Alpha runs more than 140 retail outlets across 40 locations in the UK, Europe and US, Pantaloon Retail, which is part of India's Future Group, operates more than 140 retail stores across 33 cities in India.
"We are extremely pleased to appoint Alpha Future as the duty free operator for the Delhi Airport. Their extensive experience across the globe and in the country matches DIAL's vision for providing a world class experience to travellers at Delhi Airport," DIAL Managing Director Srinivas Bommidala said in a statement published in The Moodie Report.
Alpha Group CEO Peter Williams added: "We are delighted to have secured this contract, the first in our new joint venture with Pantaloon. A key part of Alpha's strategy is to capture a significant share of the rapidly-growing Asian market where we already have a major presence and in which India is one of the fastest growing markets. In India, international traffic is growing at over +15 per cent per annum and domestic traffic grew +28 per cent last year. That presents an exciting opportunity."
DIAL is a joint venture company comprising India's GMR Group, Germany's Fraport AG, Malaysia Airports Holdings BHD and India Development Fund.
It has been given the contract by the federal government to revamp and operate Delhi airport for 30 years, with an option to extend it by another 30 years.
The tender closed on 18 October after the receipt of Expressions of Interest ended in September.
Gulf News 2006. All rights reserved.
