Lagardere Travel Retail ramps up Saudi Arabia expansion with new operations

One of the new openings marks Tabuk’s first-ever duty-free store, named Aelia Duty Free. (Source: Lagardere)

Madinah Duty Free store spans 120sqm across the international arrivals area of Madinah’s international airport. (Source: Lagardere)

One of the dining outlets in Madinah Airport, So! Coffee, covering 30sqm in international departures. (Source: Lagardere)

One of the dining outlets in Madinah Airport, Trib’s, covering 30sqm in international departures. (Source: Lagardere)

By Thanh Nha September 1, 2025

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Lagardere Travel Retail continues to expand in Saudi Arabia with the launch of new duty-free and dining operations at two key airports in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The retailer has been growing its network nationwide, increasing from three airports in 2024 to 10 in 2025, and the number of stores has more than doubled, from 21 to 44.

Melanie Guilldou, CEO of Lagardere Travel Retail Saudi Arabia, said: “As we accelerate our expansion between 2024 and 2025, nearly doubling our footprint in the Kingdom, we’re fully committed to supporting the transformation of airport retail across Saudi Arabia.”

One of the new openings marks Tabuk’s first-ever duty-free store, named Aelia Duty Free at Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz International Airport. According to the company, this is its third launch in Cluster 2 airports, marking a key role in the company’s rapid expansion across Saudi Arabia’s regional hubs.

“As the main airport in northern Saudi Arabia and a growing gateway to Neom, Tabuk plays a strategic role in our development in the Kingdom. We also plan to open a duty-free logistics centre there – a first for a regional airport,” the company said.

Other operations land in Madinah’s Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport, operated by Tibah Airports. The seven new launches include a Madinah Duty Free store spanning 120sqm across the international arrivals area, alongside two dining outlets – So! Coffee and Trib’s – with each covering 30sqm in international departures.

Guilldou added that these openings highlighted the partnerships they have built with Tibah Aiports and Cluster 2, hinting at the upcoming plan to enhance passenger experience – in alignment with the country’s Vision 2030 programme.

“These regional airports each come with their own dynamics and challenges, but we approach them with agility, strong local ties, and a deep respect for each region’s identity”.

Saad A Alajlan, GM of commercial operations and business development at Cluster 2, also commented: “Partnering with Lagardere Travel Retail enables us to bring in innovative, high-quality concepts that respond to the expectations of today’s travellers while supporting regional growth.”