asked the Minister for Tourism and Transport the measures he proposes to take to lessen the impact of lost duty-free revenue on airport charges with the completion of the Internal Market in 1992.
Written Answers. - Airport Duty-Free Revenue.
23.
It is recognised that the loss of revenue which would result from the abolition of duty free sales to travellers within the European Community would be a serious matter for Aer Rianta. Revenue earned by the company from duty free sales in 1987 amounted to nearly £30 million of which £18 million approximately was generated from sales to intra-Community travellers.
Aer Rianta are at present developing and examining other commercial opportunities and I am confident that any reduction in duty free revenue experienced by the company will be matched by increases in revenue in other areas and that this can be achieved without any significant impact on airport charges. In this connection I would also draw attention to the considerable success which Aer Rianta has enjoyed in the recent past in negotiating and developing joint venture projects with the Soviet airline Aeroflot. These achievements provide ample evidence of Aer Rianta's ability to create and to maximise new commercial opportunities on a successful and profitable basis.