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Riyadh Airport Set for Major Retail Expansion to Enhance Passenger Experience
King Khalid International Airport is expanding its retail offerings, with a significant boost to its duty-free area and infrastructure improvements to cater to changing passenger needs.
Saudi Arabia is significantly enhancing the retail experience at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh.
The expansion includes a 180 percent increase in the duty-free area, expanding the range of products from 4,000 to 10,000 stock-keeping units (SKUs).
Additionally, the airport has become the first in the region to introduce an on-arrival duty-free store.
Abdullah Al-Salem, General Manager of Commercial Business Development at Riyadh Airports Co., revealed the updates during a panel discussion at the Retail Leaders Circle Global Forum in Riyadh.
The expansion also includes the construction of new piers A and H, which will extend terminals 1 and 4. Al-Salem noted that retail sales had more than tripled following the completion of expansions to terminals 3 and 4 last year.
Riyadh Airports Co. has led the post-pandemic retail recovery, with retail space in terminals 1 and 2 nearly doubling from 1,100 to 2,400 square meters.
This expansion has attracted high-end brands and improved the airport’s understanding of passenger behavior, which differs from that of traditional mall shoppers.
Umair Ansari, Senior Vice President of Travel Retail at The Estee Lauder Companies, also discussed the impact of digitization in transforming the travel retail sector, particularly in engaging travelers before, during, and after their journeys.
Ansari further highlighted the influence of Gen Z consumers, who make purchasing decisions based on emotional connections rather than product features.
The expansion includes a 180 percent increase in the duty-free area, expanding the range of products from 4,000 to 10,000 stock-keeping units (SKUs).
Additionally, the airport has become the first in the region to introduce an on-arrival duty-free store.
Abdullah Al-Salem, General Manager of Commercial Business Development at Riyadh Airports Co., revealed the updates during a panel discussion at the Retail Leaders Circle Global Forum in Riyadh.
The expansion also includes the construction of new piers A and H, which will extend terminals 1 and 4. Al-Salem noted that retail sales had more than tripled following the completion of expansions to terminals 3 and 4 last year.
Riyadh Airports Co. has led the post-pandemic retail recovery, with retail space in terminals 1 and 2 nearly doubling from 1,100 to 2,400 square meters.
This expansion has attracted high-end brands and improved the airport’s understanding of passenger behavior, which differs from that of traditional mall shoppers.
Umair Ansari, Senior Vice President of Travel Retail at The Estee Lauder Companies, also discussed the impact of digitization in transforming the travel retail sector, particularly in engaging travelers before, during, and after their journeys.
Ansari further highlighted the influence of Gen Z consumers, who make purchasing decisions based on emotional connections rather than product features.
