Duty-free retailer Dufry sees hike in 2022 turnover on strong demand

Reuters

Published Nov 02, 2022 01:10PM ET

Updated Nov 02, 2022 03:37PM ET

By Tristan Chabba

(Reuters) -Swiss duty-free retailer Dufry said on Wednesday it expects a sharp rise in 2022 turnover as it posted a nearly 57% jump in third quarter sales, boosted by leisure travel in summer months.

The company, which operates in over 60 countries with around 2,200 shops globally, forecast a full-year turnover of 6.6 billion to 6.7 billion Swiss francs ($6.6 billion-$6.7 billion) compared to 3.92 billion Swiss francs it reported in 2021.

Dufry, which runs shops at airports, on cruise liners, in seaports, and other tourist locations worldwide, has been benefiting from a strong rebound in global travel, particularly in Europe and the United States, after restrictions imposed to tackle the pandemic were lifted.

Dufry said in a conference call it already saw a stronger-than-expected performance in October.

Business travel has picked up in the United States, the company said, where it has accelerated the deployment of self-check out to help sales and support hiring needs in the face of a recovery in passenger traffic.

However, the Basel-based firm deemed a return to 2019 sales levels in 2023 "not realistic", labeling the upcoming year a challenging one over macro and geopolitical hurdles.