JCDecaux enters Bahrain with an exclusive 10-year advertising contract for the New Bahrain International Airport

JCDecaux SA (Euronext Paris: DEC), the number one outdoor advertising company worldwide, announced today that it has entered the Bahrain market (population: 1.4 million) with the advertising contract for the Bahrain International Airport, awarded by Bahrain Airport Company (BAC). Operations at the new Airport are planned to commence July 2019.
 
The exclusive 10-year contract will bring JCDecaux’s advertising expertise to a state of the art airport that will transform the passenger experience. JCDecaux will provide and operate over 200 advertising formats in the new international airport, which expects between nine and ten million passengers at the opening, with the new terminal having a capacity of 14 million passengers. Along with offering excellent visibility for advertisers, the partnership will propose experiential and sponsored services to passengers, such as smart stations and digital iVision screens. Furthermore, JCDecaux will install iconic structures at the new airport access points, to create one of the most high-quality advertising networks in the Kingdom and in the region.
 
The Kingdom of Bahrain is the Middle East’s natural crossroads. Located at the heart of the Gulf, it’s a service center and a leading financial hub for the region, ranked the 18^th most open economy worldwide by the Heritage Foundation and Wall Street Journal’s 2016 Index of Economic Freedom. With access to 36 million consumers across the Gulf Cooperation Council’s US $1.6 trillion market, Bahrain offers significant potential for investors in its ever-expanding tourism and leisure sector.
 
Bahrain Airport Company Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Mohamed Yousif Al Binfalah, said: “This concession agreement will not only give JCDecaux the opportunity to expand its operations to a new country, but will also allow them work on a unique project of its kind. The Airport Modernization Program (AMP) is more than just an expansion of the airport. It is meant to modernize the entire passenger travelling experience and appeal to the tastes and needs of today’s sophisticated and demanding travellers. We have high expectations to leverage JCDecaux vast experiences and capabilities to realize the vision we have developed for the new passenger terminal building.”
 
Jean-Charles Decaux, Co-CEO of JCDecaux, said: “We are very proud to have been chosen by Bahrain Airport Company for the New Bahrain International Airport advertising contract, allowing us to enter a new market and expanding our footprint in the Middle East. With 35 airports currently under concession in the region, JCDecaux offers brands and advertising agencies a unique premium network reaching an audience of almost 225 million passengers annually. This new contract demonstrates the trust that our partners have placed in us to transform airport environments by delivering innovative and premium digital advertising solutions. We believe that our track record of enhancing the passenger experience in the world’s leading airports, as well as our extensive global and regional client base, will ensure the success of this partnership and position Bahrain Airport as an industry leader in the region.”