AUSTRALIA. Leading international project advisory firm WT has added its weight to The Mercurius Group’s Airport Retail Fitout Study 2026, which benchmarks retail fitout costs at airports across the Pacific region.
For the past two years, the rising cost of airport retail fitouts has been a recurring topic at the Airport Retail & Commercial Forum, an annual conference and exhibition for the airport commercial sector delivered as a partnership by the Australian Airports Association, The Mercurius Group and The Moodie Davitt Report.
At the 2025 Forum, Mercurius—supported by airport retailers such as SSP, Avolta and Emirates Leisure Retail ANZ, as well as retail designers Dovetail and leading shopfitter Trivision—unveiled the inaugural Airport Retail Fitout Cost Study, believed to be the first study of its kind to benchmark fitout costs at airports in the region.
The benchmarks provided in the study have helped airport retailers:
- Compare their costs to peers and identify opportunities to improve competitiveness;
- Prepare more accurate and informed capital budgets for bids and tenders;
- Achieve approvals for capital budgets by providing comfort to Boards and Investment Committees.
The benchmarks have also helped airports consider more carefully how they can assist retailers in minimising fitout costs, which could increase the rents retailers are able to pay, enable them to reinvest the savings in the consumer experience, or both.
Following positive feedback from delegates on the Airport Retail Fitout Study, the 2026 Forum— scheduled for July in Cairns, Australia—will explore in greater detail the strategies airports and retailers can use to manage fitout costs effectively.
This enhanced focus will be supported by WT, which will bring its extensive expertise in cost management and quantity surveying, with global experience spanning both the aviation and retail sectors.
The Mercurius Group Managing Director Ivo Favotto said: “I am delighted that WT has come onboard with this ground-breaking project. Their experience and expertise will enable us to develop more robust benchmarks and allow for meaningful comparisons between the cost of on-airport and off-airport fitouts. Mercurius has collaborated with the WT team on multiple projects across various airports, and I am confident they will bring significant value to the Study.”
Favotto continued: “Fitout costs are critical for both retailers and airports. As a key component of a retailer’s P&L, they directly affect rents and lease-term requirements. It is in everyone’s interest to manage these costs effectively, and as the old adage goes—what gets measured gets done. We are therefore keen to shine a spotlight on this important area and provide airports and retailers with the tools to reduce costs, as is routinely done in the domestic shopping centre market.”
WT National Director and Aviation Sector Lead Tony Griffin said: “WT is proud to join this project and build on the strong foundation already in place. Leveraging our expertise in airports and retail, we’ll refine benchmarks and deliver two clear benefits: meaningful comparisons between on-airport and off-airport environments, and a roadmap to reduce retail fitout costs.
“There’s an unprecedented wave of terminal investment across the Pacific region, with retail fitouts alone costing hundreds of millions each year. Our goal is simple: be a trusted advisor to make every dollar work harder for airports, retailers, and brands.”
For further information on the Airport Retail Fitout Study project or the 2026 Airport Retail & Commercial Forum, please contact Ivo Favotto at ifavotto@themercuriusgroup.com ✈
