Global travel retailer Air Rianta International (ARI) has celebrated St. Patrick's Day in recent days by extending its “Céad Mile Forte” or 100,000-person welcome to key members of Ireland's political elite around the world. celebrated the day.
The airport retailer, which has stores in multiple markets including Ireland as well as Canada, Cyprus, India, Oman, Portugal, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, is using St. Patrick's Day to highlight its international footprint. and reminded consumers that: A unique contribution to the global duty free business.
Ahead of today's St. Patrick's Day, the annual week of celebration of the Irish diaspora has seen visits by leading politicians to overseas ARI stores.
Green costumes and shamrocks (a three-leaf clover said to have been used by Ireland's patron saint as a metaphor for the Holy Trinity) are seen in many cities today, including parades in London today and New York (now 263 locations) on Saturday. It was noticeable.rd ), with an estimated 2 million participants.
Ireland's soft power
ARI, the retail arm of state-owned DAA (Dublin Airport Authority), hosted VIPs at various locations. Among them was Irish Member of Parliament Tánaiste Michael Martin, who was at the Montreal Duty Free Shop at Montreal Trudeau International Airport in Canada. Simon Coveney, Ireland's Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, visited the Delhi Duty Free Shop at India's Indira Gandhi International Airport. Mr. Seán Ó Feargháil, Speaker of the House of Commons of the Irish Parliament, was welcomed at the Portuguese Duty Free Shop at Lisbon Airport.
Ray Hernan, CEO of ARI, commented: Slainte. ” ARI has good reason to celebrate. The company pioneered duty-free retail, opening the world's first duty-free store at Shannon Airport in Ireland in 1947. From that small kiosk, the company is now present in his 27 cities in 13 countries around the world, establishing a top position. International travel retailer in the Middle East.
Daa's international retail, consulting and management businesses, operated through ARI and daa International (daaI), continue to grow. Total revenue for the first half of 2023 (ending June 2023) amounted to 121.7 million euros ($132 million), an increase of 49% year-on-year as passenger numbers increased after the impact of the pandemic.
Unparalleled Middle East impact
But ARI's tradition runs deeper. Because ARI was his company's team that developed the first duty-free business at Dubai Airport in the early 1980s. Since then, former ARI executive Colm McLoughlin, who was general manager of the Freeport Shop (as it was then called) at Shannon Airport in the mid-1970s, has been a leader in the Irish diaspora. He became one of the central characters. He transformed the operations of Dubai Duty Free, of which he is currently the CEO.
Last year, Dubai Duty Free hit a record high of $2.16 billion. In a recent biography of McLoughlin, fulfilling life, trade between Ireland and MENA (Middle East and North Africa) reportedly fell from almost zero in the early 80s to €5.3 billion in 2021. According to the book, former Irish Ambassador Pat Hennessy affirmed how important McLoughlin and Dubai Duty Free were. to this ever-expanding geopolitical partnership.
Meanwhile, under Mr. Hernan's stewardship, ARI also expanded its reach. In January, the company expanded its North American operations with the opening of a new store at Canada's Edmonton Airport, and is now partnering with Marshall Retail Group, a WHSmith company, to operate duty-free stores.
The retailer's futuristic new store in Abu Dhabi's new Terminal A is also attracting attention. Each retail business, covering the beauty, jewelery and sunglasses categories, has a distinct design signature, with products from Gem&I Jewelry featuring Swarovski in particular, as well as international brands such as Spain's PDPaola and Authur, as well as well-known local brands. It is characterized by a combination of brands. ARI limited to this region.
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