INTERNATIONAL. Airports Council International (ACI) World today released a White Paper that describes some of the major legislative and regulatory threats and opportunities to airport retail. ACI said it would help airports, travel retailers and policymakers “work together to stimulate an increase in sales, investment, and sustainable job creation”.
The Regulatory Threats and Opportunities in Airport Retail White Paper is the newest addition to the ACI Airports’ Non-Aeronautical Revenues and Activities (ANARA) guidance series launched earlier this year.
ACI World Director General Luis Felipe de Oliveira said: “As COVID-19 travel restrictions ease and passenger demand returns, governments and policymakers across the world have an opportunity to leverage airports to stimulate growth and investment by creating an enabling environment for retail and duty free.
“We encourage relevant aviation stakeholders, including governments, to leverage the new guidance and the entire series, to stay one step ahead of the game as they strengthen the commercial side of the business. The guidance can in turn also help airports and retailers enhance customer experience and service quality.”
The Duty Free World Council (DFWC) welcomed the White Paper. President Sarah Branquinho commented: “The pandemic has demonstrated the critical role of duty free and travel retail revenues to the broader aviation and travel industries. The cooperation between airports and concessionaires in working together to navigate the difficulties leaves all parties in a stronger position to face future challenges and to embrace the opportunities that we all now have as passengers return to airports and the airport retail experience.”
The White Paper and other publications have been developed by ACI World’s new sub-committee on Airports’ Non-Aeronautical Revenues and Activities (ANARA). The group is linked to the ACI World Economics Standing Committee, which is made up of experts from member ACI airports and World Business Partners.
Branquinho welcomed the creation of the ANARA sub-committee and the deepening links between ACI and the DFWC as evidence of the interdependence of both industries.
The rest of the ANARA series will include the launch of guidance in the areas of digital transformation, food & beverage and sustainability.
