Year in Review
From the Founder & Chairman
A Moodie Media View
I’ve been involved in the travel retail world for 38 years, writes Martin Moodie. A scary thought, though hopefully for just me, not our readers. From preparing the Canne show issue of US drinks title Impact International in 1987; to becoming Drinks & Features Editor, then Editor and finally Managing Editor at Duty-Free News International (DFNI) from 1989 to end-2001; to launching The Moodie (now Moodie Davitt) Report in 2002, I’ve been variously a newcomer, a disrupter and finally a veteran.
Where did all the years go?
During those near four decades I have both witnessed and driven a transformation in travel retail media. Along with the redoubtable Doug Newhouse and owners Vivian Raven and Julian Fox, I was part of a publishing revolution from the late 1980s as a news-led fortnightly print title went from a start-up to market leader in quick-fire time, growing into one of the UK’s most respected and profitable B2B titles in the 1990s, before it was sold in 1996 to publishing giant Euromoney.
I was “the succession plan”, stepping up from my role as Editor to become Managing Director under the new owners. As I noted in The Moodie Blog, my success since is down as much to Vivian’s, Julian’s and Doug’s example and support back then as my own luck or hard work since.
When Doug, Co-Founder of Travel Retail Business (originally Duty-Free Business) retired on the last day of 2017, I wrote on The Moodie Blog: “Doug is our toughest, most serious and most respected rival, a journalist who gives his all, a man with a work ethic that is extraordinary by anybody’s standards. He is passionate and knowledgeable about the business in equal measure. He drives himself harder than just about anyone I know.”
I noted how Doug had redefined travel retail journalism, sourcing original stories in a way that many of today’s generation of reporters, weaned on google alerts and using other journalists’ (notably The Moodie Davitt Report’s) stories as their idea of lead-sourcing, wouldn’t be capable of.
And don’t get me started on AI, whose growth as a substitute for proper journalism is directly reflected in the growth of travel retail stories bearing bylines such as ‘Staff Writer’, ‘Business Editor’ and – as I read today in a mainstream media post, ‘ADMIN 5’. Oh dear. Sometimes progress can be a synonym for regression.
As I wrote when Doug retired, “Who to battle daily now? Who to curse when beaten to a story? Who to force me to rise each morning in the wee small hours to ensure I can match him? Who to keep me and us honest?” I guess the answer is simple. Ourselves. We not only set our own standards but strive each day to exceed them. Being ok is never ok.
So here, speaking as a veteran media man, and for what they are worth, are my personal bouquets and brickbats for 2025, based entirely on what I personally experienced during the year.
1) Bouquets
Martin Moodie’s Alternative Awards of the Year
Artport of the year – Vancouver International Airport
I am fascinated by the concept of airports as artports and consequently launched a column of the same name a couple of years back. If airports are to represent and showcase the culture and heritage of a city, region or country, art is a good place to start.
Since starting the column, I have been delighted to see so many outstanding art programmes across airports of all sizes and regions.
But one stands out to me above all others, Vancouver International Airport’s art programme embraces Canada’s largest public collection of Northwest Coast art with pride, joy and respect in equal measure.
Focused on First Nations art and anchored by the interrelated themes of land, sea and sky, the programme offers a magnificent encapsulation of community, cultural heritage and place.
Specialist store of the year – Mundo Fantástico da Sardinha Portuguesa (The Fantastic World of Portuguese Sardines), Humberto Delgado (Lisbon) Airport
A space where, to quote the airport company, “the sardine is queen”, this gloriously technicoloured tapestry of a boutique serves both as a commercial ode to a Portuguese national symbol and an outstanding example of how destination merchandise can reach beyond staid souvenir offerings.
Oh what a reign this revered queen is enjoying, her ‘carriage’ a wonderfully vibrant Ferris wheel, carryin her and her courtiers.
One wall is dedicated to tins adorned with different years going way, way back. I say that with confidence as the array includes my birth year, which just about places the said tins in the realm of ancient history. And unlike me, the sardines inside are not past their sell-by date.
At just €9.50 a tin, they represent a brilliantly original example of destination merchandise. And a great gifting choice, of course. An item that surely belongs on every Christmas fish-list.
Destination merchandise offer of the year within a generic duty-free store – Lisbon Duty Free (ARI)
It’s rare for any anchor duty-free shop’s destination merchandise range and environment to match its host’s airport’s specialist offering. But despite Lisbon Airport offering a range of outstanding boutiques packed with quality local products (including the riotously hued Mundo Fantástico da Sardinha Portuguesa), ARI’s Lisbon Duty Free takes full advantage of gaining first access to the passenger (thanks to the walkthrough formula) with a diverse medley of local delights, ranging from Portuguese wines (table and fortified), spirits and liqueurs to chocolate and fine foods. An authentically top-class line-up beautifully presented.
Overall Destination Retail Offer – Auckland Airport
Aelia Duty Free does a pretty good job of destination retailing both in its main store (particularly on wine, spirits and honey) and with its All Blacks boutique but the sense, taste and culture of place come to life even more in the standalone stores, of which there are several. Names such as Kiwi Discovery, Cape to Bluff, Merino Collection, Whittaker’s chocolate (surely one of the airport world’s best-performing wall unit offers per square metre) deliver a
Interestingly, Auckland Airport’s ‘Gifts of New Zealand’ RFP is scheduled for release in mid-2026, marking the next phase in the gateway’s retail evolution.
“This upcoming opportunity will continue our commitment to curating a retail experience that celebrates the essence of New Zealand, its creativity, craftsmanship and cultural richness,” Auckland Airport said. Bidders be warned, the bar has already been set high.
Specialist hybrid concept of the Year – Bacha Coffee, Changi Airport
Every time I visit a Bacha store at the wonderful Singapore gateway, I am enchanted, awed and inspired by the Bacha experience.
This is coffee nirvana, featuring a heady range of brew from just about every coffee-producing nation on the planet. From the carefully curated choice of in-store music (everything from classic to jazz to blue) to the exquisite coffee packaging; from croissants that will take you to culinary heaven and back; to the charming white coat, white glove service, everything is touch perfect. Oh, and all that glorious orange. As I once opined in my Blog, if Hermès was a coffee brand, it would be Bacha.
F&B Outlet of the Year – Mitti Café, Kempegowda International Airport Bengaluru
I’ve told the Mitti Café several times over the recent past but each time I visit one of the units I am inspired to both repeat and embellish it.
On page xx, we name Mitti Café Alina Alam as one of our People of the Year for the second year running, a rare but deserved accolade for this astonishingly determined and capable woman.
Mitti Café is dedicated to empowering individuals with disabilities by providing opportunities for economic independence and dignity. In fact, forget the term ‘disability’. Mitti Café’s mantra is ‘the magic of abilities’, and every time I visit one of the Kempegowda International Airport Bengaluru outlets, I see those abilities. I see them in the warmth of the greetings; the instant, never fading smiles; the speed and professionalism of service; the team camaraderie; and, oh, the best hot chai in town.
Best Surprise F&B Experience of the Year – Alembic drinks and bites, Bristol Airport, UK
Not tempted by the prospect of eating from Ryanair’s (admittedly decent) buy onboard selection in a squeezed middle seat, my wife and I looked around the extensive Bristol Airport food & beverage line-up. There was plenty of choice from Burger King to Brig & Stow Bar & Kitch, Soho Coffee Co to Wine. Beer. Food and others. But we opted for the serenity and panoramic airfield views offered by Alembic drinks and bites.
A splendid dish of pimientos (salted green peppers) together with succulent meatballs later, washed down with a chilled pint of Estrella and a fresh and crisp New Zealand Sauvignon, complemented by charming and courteous service from the delightful Jeya and we left Alembic with me telling my wife “I told you so” about the ever-improving state of airport dining.
Positive Disrupter of the Year – Thabet Musleh
Yes, I know we have already named the Qatar Airways Chief Retail and Hospitality Officer among o9ur People of the Year (see page xx) but I feel a need to embellish other qualities barely touched on in that accolade.
My views are borne of my own experience as an underdog when I launched The Moodie Report in September 2002. We were the newcomer, with no print title, just a plain-looking pdf dispatched by email. Who read digital anyway? So I set about making sure people did read it. Via top-quality content, rapid fulfilment (after all, email and the internet was always going to beat the postman), great partnerships, the best tech and a willingness to constantly try things. And boy did we disrupt the market.
Recognise those traits in someone else? Thabet Musleh has a similar maverick spirit, always willing to try new things (in fact, refusing not to); obsessed with being first, different and as often as possible exclusive. When he first assumed the Head of Qatar Duty Free role in January 2018, it was prefaced by the hedging bet of ‘Acting’ and in the form of Qatar Airways Chief Executive Officer Akbar Al Baker, he had to prove himself to the toughest of bosses.
If he was the underdog internally, so was Qatar Duty Free regionally. Yes, Hamad International was architecturally impressive but by common consent its retail planning was a bizarre mishmash. Something had to change.
Rather than being bowed by the pressure cauldron, Musleh relished it. Any risk taker will also make mistakes along the way but these have been comfortably outnumbered by some glorious success stories. The Louis Vuitton Lounge by Yannick Alléno, the Dior Luxury Beauty Retreat, the incredible luxury boulevards looking out over the giant tropical forest, Orchard..
Nor it is all about luxury; Musleh has been insistent on providing an offer for all passengers, from sub-continent bound blue-collar workers to captains of industry. As he grew in confidence so did the success stories mount: the gloriously authentic Souq Al Matar, Ralph’s Coffee, a pioneering partnership with hugely popular global character collectibles retailer Pop Mart – the list goes on.
Underdog no longer, maverick still. And my positive disrupter of the year.
Surprise story of the Year –China Duty Free Group and Avolta splitting the Shanghai Pudong & Hongqiao duty-free awards.
Ok, hands up anyone who possibly thoughts xxxxxxxxxxxx add 10 lines of dummy text with Sunrise Duty Free prevented from bidding by 51% owner
PR company of the year: WePurple
Proactive, professional and perceptive. The Singapore/UK/Mexico & France-based agency is a role-model in terms of the quality of their press releases, their proactiveness with clients and media, and their understanding of what makes different media tick. One size does not fit all titles and certainly does not fit us. Honorary mentions: Smarts and Essential Communications.
Best media rival of 2026 – Global TR Magazine
A tough one as there is just SO much imitation of what we do in travel retail media land, something I have grown relaxed about in the autumn of my career but used to rile me endlessly.
Global TR Magazine Editor and Co-owner Hibah Noor has an outstanding ethic, is fast on the draw to borrow from cowboy parlance and is an excellent ambassador for the title to boot. Her and the title’s output is impressively prolific, especially given the leanness of the editorial team.
An honorary mention for Travel Markets Insider, where the admirable Lois Pasternak has kept putting out a timely and quality product despite her ongoing battle with cancer. Together with her son Michael, they are maintaining the fine journalistic tradition that their late husband and father Paul so nobly represented.
And a shout-out too for Peter Marshall at TRunblocked, who at least is doing something different and whose brand-led films are often both challenging and stimulating.
2) Brickbats
Martin Moodie’s Alternative Awards of the Year
Best xxxxx
PLACE HOLD 6 X LINES AND 6 DUMMY PICS
Martin Moodie Founder & Chairman The Moodie Davitt Report
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The Moodie Davitt eZine
Issue 349 | 23 December 2025
The Moodie Davitt eZine is published 6 times per year by The Moodie Davitt Report (MA Travel Retail). © All material is copyright and cannot be reproduced without the permission of the Publisher. To find out more visit www.moodiedavittreport.com and to subscribe, please email kristyn@moodiedavittreport.com