A 1998 study examining the potential impact of the abolition of duty free in the EU on the Netherlands.

Statistics released by Airports Council International (ACI World), culled from data from airports in all parts of the world in 2016, offer an intriguing insight into the relative values of different segments of non-aeronautical revenue generation.

ACI’s Policy Brief – Path to the airport industry recovery – Restoring a sustainable economic equilibrium draws attention to the crucial role duty free and travel retail plays in the success and growth of airports around the world, with up to 44% of airport revenues coming from non-aeronautical sources, and retail concessions contributing 30% of this figure.

This document explores the role Arrivals Duty and Tax Free can play in providing new sources of employment and commercial revenue to the European airports industry, as recommended by the Aviation Round Table Report on the Recovery of European Aviation1, a cross industry strategic blueprint for the sustainable recovery of European aviation.

This study, commissioned by leading players from the aviation and tourism sectors and published at the Annual Conference & Exhibition of the Airport Operators Association (AOA), the trade body for UK airports, on 10 November, shows that all three elements of the sector made a significant contribution to the UK economy.