Whisky Demand Has Shifted Toward New Global Hubs
New passenger data suggests premium Scotch sales potential outside traditional top export markets.
Updated on Sept. 21, 2026 in Business Travel
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Analytics firm Air4casts mapped international passenger flows and alcohol concessions across 847 global terminals. The study identifies significant opportunities in emerging hubs where whisky-buying travelers congregate outside top export regions.
Why it matters
Nearly three-quarters of international departures for key whisky-buying nationalities now originate outside the world's ten largest Scotch export markets. This geographic shift indicates that retailers should adjust inventory strategies to capture demand in these secondary, high-growth transit points.
Researchers analyzed 286 million international departures forecast for 2026 across 847 terminals. Seoul Incheon Terminal 2 leads with 5.08 million relevant departures, while Okinawa Naha International is projected to see a 49% passenger increase.
The players
Air4casts
This is a data analytics firm that specializes in mapping international passenger flows and retail concession footprints at global airports.
Avolta
This is a global travel retail company that maintains operations in 244 international airport terminals.
The details
Air4casts combined passenger forecast data with physical airside alcohol concession mapping to identify where premium spirits consumers travel. The report highlights that global travel retail Scotch volume and value grew by 10% in 2025, with super-premium spirits matching that growth rate.
Timeline
2024 served as the baseline year for calculating passenger growth projections.
2025 saw a 10% increase in Scotch whisky volume and value within travel retail sectors.
2026 is the primary forecast year for international passenger departures and terminal traffic.
2030 is the target year for an estimated US$400 million growth in travel retail Scotch sales.
Travel Outlook
This analysis extends the 2025 Scotch whisky travel retail growth trajectory by identifying new, high-potential geographic hubs for future expansion. It highlights how infrastructure growth in secondary markets is decoupling premium spirits demand from traditional legacy export strongholds.
Business travelers can expect to see expanded premium spirit selections and modernized alcohol concessions in high-traffic hubs like Seoul Incheon and Manila. Travelers should anticipate that these regional upgrades will likely lead to more competitive duty-free pricing as retailers vie for the attention of high-spending passengers.
The takeaway
The growth in global transit hubs suggests that premium spirits retailers must pivot their focus toward emerging passenger demographics to capture rising demand. Travelers visiting these high-growth international terminals may benefit from an increasingly diverse range of exclusive, high-end retail offerings.
Further reading
Learn more about the latest trends in the Business Travel sector.
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Do you trust that major retailers correctly identify your preferences when traveling through international airports?
