Images of the Year (I)

Pioneering AI power with SELF restaurant at Barcelona Airport

“This project marks a milestone in food & beverage and travel retail and reaffirms our entrepreneurial spirit, capacity for innovation and transformational vocation to lead new trends in the industry.”

So said Areas Iberia CEO Sergio Rodríguez as the travel restaurateur unveiled SELF, the first robotic restaurant powered by artificial intelligence at an airport, in Barcelona Josep Tarradellas El Prat Terminal 1.

At the heart of SELF’s operations is a sophisticated robotic arm with a claw and tactile fingers that manages and delivers orders seamlessly. Complementing human team members, the system ensures a more personalised and responsive service for guests, Areas said.

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Agave World comes to life at Cancún Airport

In January we celebrated the vibrant debut of a Tequila-championing retail concept at Cancún International Airport.

Agave World houses a diverse array of agave-based brands, led by Proximo Spirits’ premium and super-premium ranges, in elegant, colourful space, with story-telling that connects travellers to the spirit’s roots in Mexican culture.

Full story here.

‘Whisky Meets Wow’ as Johnnie Walker tells a tall story at Incheon Airport

Among our Images of the Day selections from January (a regular column in association with Duty Free Global), came this shot of Diageo-owned ultra-premium Scotch whisky brand Johnnie Walker Blue Label’s spectacular OOH advertising campaign at Incheon International Airport.

The image, courtesy of Korean Out of Home advertising specialist Hyun Lee, shows a brand campaign promoting the Johnnie Walker Blue Label Lunar New Year (2024) limited-edition collaboration with Asian-American artist James Jean in all its colourful glory.

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‘A gateway to the soul of the UAE’

In early 2025, Dubai International Airport introduced Emirati District, a hub dedicated to empowering young local entrepreneurs, in Terminal 3.

The project aims to position young Emiratis as regional and global role models while expanding their access to international markets.

Memorably, each piece tells a story; each product carries the heartbeat of its maker; and every corner speaks of heritage passed down through generations.

Full story here.

‘Game. Set. Goose’ at Melbourne Airport

Our chosen images, courtesy of Bacardi Global Travel Retail Brand Marketing Manager Grey Goose & St Germain Alice Di Emanuele on LinkedIn, showcase a compelling high-profile Grey Goose promotion with Lotte Duty Free at Melbourne Airport during the Australian Tennis Open (6-26 January).

The campaign formed part of a collaboration between the Australian Open and Grey Goose, the event’s Official Vodka Partner.

With a tagline of ‘Game. Set. Goose.’ the airport campaign brought one of the world’s great sporting events to life in-store, featuring cool blue visuals, Australian Open bottle tags and plenty of chilled Grey Goose samples served as faultlessly as a Jannik Sinner ace.

Great images of an outstanding campaign that no doubt brought plenty of net gains and had customers flocking to the store.

Full story here.

‘A new standard of excellence’ at Portugal Duty Free

Leading travel retailer ARI, together with partners Vinci Airports and ANA Aeroportos de Portugal, officially unveiled its high-class, new-look Portugal Duty Free stores in March.

A three-year programme of refurbishment featured a key design aim to convey the essence of Portugalidade – reflecting Portugal’s landscape to its artistry and heritage, to the flavours and aromas of its world-renowned gastronomy – and an ambition to create a memorable retail experience for passengers. This was brought to life in thrilling fashion with the completed store executions from Lisbon to Faro airports, to which we paid a visit for the official opening.

Full story here.