The international duty-free retail arm of Dublin Airport Authority is studying opportunities to enter Iran, following deals in Oman, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, its CEO has revealed.
Aer Rianta International operates duty-free and airport retail outlets in Europe, the Middle East, North America and New Zealand. Its parent company CEO Kevin Toland told reporters last week that Iran is “a tremendously exciting opportunity for us” as the business seeks new prospects overseas, Arabian Business reported.
In February, Aer Rianta was awarded a 10-year contract to manage the new duty-free outlets at Muscat International Airport by the Oman Airports Management Company.
The company has also been appointed to operate duty-free outlets at the under-construction Midfield Terminal Complex in Abu Dhabi, and in January signed a deal to manage Terminal 5 at Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport in Saudi Arabia.
Toland said the agreement with Muscat airport in particular would help the company enter Iran, given the close relationship between Iran and Oman. He declined to reveal whether talks with Iran airport authorities had already begun.
“Ireland is a small country occupying the edge of Europe so we have to grow and look for new opportunities overseas,” he told reporters at the International Air Transport Association Conference in Dublin.
