Lagardère Travel Retail begins operating at Kigali International Airport

Lagardère Travel Retail is delighted to announce the opening of its new duty free and travel essentials store at Kigali International Airport, operated in partnership with Rwandan aviation services provider Flairway.

The 435m² store, located in the airside departures zone, offers a wide range of duty free goods including wines & spirits, perfumes & cosmetics, confectionery, eyewear, luggage, watches & jewelry. The store also features a RELAY travel essentials shop-in-shop offering portable electronics and travel goods, drinks and snacks.

A curated selection of locally sourced goods celebrates Rwanda’s rich craftsmanship and natural produce such as coffee, tea and avocado oil. Highlights include Kari Vodka, an award-winning potato vodka by Virunga Mountain Spirits, organic Rwandan honey, and artisan beeswax candles made with local essential oils. The collection further includes Golden Ale and IPA from Kweza, Rwanda’s first women-owned craft brewery, and a traditional banana wine crafted from locally harvested bananas. Completing the range is IMIZI Forest Rum, infused with rare forest botanicals, each product reflecting the country’s unique terroir and creativity.

Sountou Bousso, CEO of Lagardère Travel Retail West, Central & East Africa, commented: “We are proud to have opened this new store and to make our debut in Kigali International Airport, the gateway to one of Africa’s fastest-growing tourist destinations. We are excited about the potential for travel retail in Rwanda and grateful for the trust placed in us by Rwanda Airports Company. Together with our partner Flairway, we are determined to give travelers at Kigali every reason to shop with us every time they visit the airport.”

Charles Habonimana, Managing Director of Rwanda Airports Company (RAC), said: “The arrival of Lagardère Travel Retail at Kigali International Airport marks another important milestone in our journey to enhance the passenger experience. This partnership expands the portfolio of dutyfree services available at the airport, giving travelers access to a wider variety of high-quality international and local products. It also ensures that every passenger can leave Rwanda carrying a touch of our country’s creativity and hospitality with them.”

Lagardère Travel Retail now operates over 30 stores in eight countries in Africa, one of the company’s fastest growing and most dynamic regions.

About Lagardère Travel Retail
Lagardère Travel Retail, a subsidiary of Louis Hachette Group (through Lagardère group), an international group listed on Euronext Growth, is a leading global Travel Retailer, with the longest standing expertise of serving the needs of travelers and partners across Travel Essentials, Duty Free & Fashion and Dining. Lagardère Travel Retail operates over 5,000 stores in airports, railway stations and other concessions in over 50 countries, and has generated €7.6 bn in sales (100%) in 2024.
​We harness our pioneering culture to make travel more enjoyable with bespoke offers and experiences. We invest our world-class global expertise and local knowledge to design value-creating partnerships and experiences for our stakeholders: landlords, brands, travelers, employees and communities.  ​ We actively champion the more sustainable future of Travel Retail through our comprehensive CSR strategy, covering all aspects of where we, as a business, have an impact and can make a difference.  
www.lagardere-tr.com  ●  @LagardereTR

About Rwanda Airport Company (RAC)
RAC is a subsidiary of “The Aviation, Travel and Logistics Holding Limited”, a Holding Group wholly owned by the government of Rwanda. Rwanda Airports Company Ltd has within its purview the daily management, operation and provision of air navigation services for airports in the country.