Travel retail is moving into a new era where AI, contactless payments and Just Walk Out (JWO) technology bring greater speed, personalization and operational efficiency

“AI is the ultimate game changer in travel retail; it will fundamentally transform the airport shopping experience” says Blueprint Partner Thomas Kaneko Henningsen

As geopolitical power shifts reshape travel retail, Blueprint outlines how the industry can prepare, adapt and gain a strategic edge

New forecasts from Blueprint, backed by data from ACI, show that growth in passenger spend at European airports will lag behind the rest of the world in years to come. Blueprint assesses the implications in this feature, the first in a series in association with The Moodie Davitt Report, and considers how airports, retailers and brands can collaborate to lift the customer experience and arrest stagnating spend levels.

In the second in a series about the future for airport concessions in Europe compiled by Blueprint with data from ACI, Blueprint Partner Thomas Kaneko Henningsen comments on the role of food & beverage in supporting airport revenue growth.

In the third in a series about the future of European airport concessions compiled by Blueprint with data from ACI, Blueprint Partner Thomas Kaneko Henningsen discusses the importance of embracing digital in the right ways to boost passenger spend and engagement.

In the fourth in a series about the future of European airport concessions compiled by Blueprint with data from ACI, we examine the categories and ideas that will rise above the rest as passengers look for a rebooted, re-energised duty-free offering.

Ongoing geopolitical tensions are placing growing pressure on the travel retail industry, driving disruptions in passenger flows, regulatory frameworks, currency stability and logistics, according to a new study by Blueprint and Rud Pedersen Group.

The two consultancy firms have joined forces to provide brands, airports and retailers with a strategic approach to building resilience and adapting to today’s volatile environment.

Copenhagen business development consultancy Blueprint has been honoured with the prestigious Gazelle award from Danish financial newspaper Børsen.

The prestigious recognition is awarded to only 0.9% of Danish-registered companies based on six financial and growth-related criteria. Established in 1995, the distinction is granted exclusively to high-growth companies and cannot be applied for.

Thomas Kaneko Henningsen, Partner at Blueprint, describes how the rise of compelling food & beverage concepts is reshaping the airport experience as we know it.

In this new series of features in collaboration with Blueprint, company partner, Thomas Kaneko Henningsen details how the use of AI is rapidly increasing in domestic markets, but travel retail is still catching up

Positioned as a “business development consultancy,” Blueprint combines expertise in strategy, knowledge transfer and collaborative innovation to help airports, operators, and brands respond to evolving consumer demands. Blueprint’s approach in the travel retail industry goes beyond the traditional consultancy model.

An AI-powered theft detection system at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport has recovered over €163,000 (US$172,000) in retail sales between April and September 2024, based on more than 50 in-store theft detections. The groundbreaking system, developed by Veesion and implemented by TRSS, sets a new standard for retail security in the travel sector.

During the TFWA World Exhibition in Cannes (30 September to 3 October), Blueprint Partners’ Karl Walter, Thomas Kaneko Henningsen and Sonja Soskic joined The Moodie Davitt Report Senior Reporter Ameesha Raizada for an exclusive interview. 

The trio highlighted Blueprint’s collaborative approach to helping airports, operators and brands navigate market shifts, as well as the importance of understanding new consumer groups such as Gen Z and Alpha. 

The travelling consumer has changed significantly since the pandemic and duty free operators need to adapt to significantly different buying habits and demands. Among the latter is a growing thirst for immersive experiences, especially among Gen Z.

Blueprint and m1nd-set have reported that seats are selling fast for the EX.CEL Experiential Retail Workshop in Cannes, reinforcing the ‘significance of experiential retail and the drive to better understand its impact on shopper behaviour is strongly resonating with the global travel retail industry’.