Twelve-Year Contract at Teesside International Airport

World Duty Free has won a new concession contract to operate the tax- and duty-free store at Teesside International Airport (UK) for a period of 12 years.

Teesside International Airport, located in Darlington North East England, was recently taken into public ownership and is targeting an additional 1.4 million passengers to pass through its doors by 2029, adding to the 148,000 travelers welcomed in 2019. With the newly won concession, Dufry further consolidates its footprint in the UK, where we currently operate duty-free shops at 25 airports.

Work on the development of the new 173 m² walk-through store has begun and is due to be completed by July, ready to meet the demand as passenger numbers recover. Teesside International Airport has recently secured increased flights to several international destinations including Palma de Mallorca, Alicante, Corfu and Bulgaria, with operators such as Ryanair and TUI. Therefore, to maximize the opportunity presented from January 2021 with the Government’s reintroduction of duty-free purchases for all passengers departing the UK, the retail focus in the new store will be on the core categories of liquor and tobacco, along with an extensive range of beauty brands and a selection of accessories.

Fred Creighton, Chief Operating Officer in the UK said, “The team at Teesside International Airport have exciting long term plans linked to the increased flight schedules anticipated, as well as the current overhaul of their security operations and other airport facilities. We are delighted to be part of this new chapter in the airport’s story and will deliver a tax- and duty-free store that takes shopping to the next level for all passengers visiting the airport this summer.”