 |
ACA’s Filip Soete and Valerie Chuong at the reveal of Nice Airport’s tender timetable |
FRANCE. As revealed earlier today via Moodie Live, Aéroports de la Côte d’Azur (ACA) has confirmed the tender timetable for Nice Airport Terminals 1 and 2, which are being extensively renovated and extended in line with the group’s strategy – covered in The Moodie Report Print Edition last October – to become one of the major platforms in south Europe. The new T1 will be inaugurated in May 2016; the new T2 in May 2017.
The tender details were revealed at a press conference at the TFWA Asia Pacific Singapore show, delivered by ACA Chief Commercial Officer Filip Soete and Head of Commercial Valerie Chuong.
ACA’s vision for the revamp is to provide “the most surprising commercial experience in a European airport”, Soete underlined. A distinct Sense of Place that reflects the facility’s unique geographical setting will also be crucial. The airport has identified four key types of passengers, and to satisfy their needs envisages a retail and F&B offer that focuses on what it describes as Côte d’Azur Essentials, France essentials, Trend-setters and Airport Essentials.
In an unexpected move, the tender will begin with the F&B offer. The existing contract, with sole operator Elior – which was due to run until 2020 – has been terminated early. The timetable is as follows:
F&B Terminals 1 & 2
– Publication of RFP: 1 June
– Deadline for return of bids: 1 July
– Award decision: end of November
– Start of T1 operations: 10 January 2015
– -Start of T2 operations: May 2017
Core Business (Liquor, Tobacco, P&C, Gastronomic products T1 and T2
– Publication of RFP: 1 November
– Deadline for return of bids: mid-February 2015
– Award decision: end of March
– Opening of T1 duty fee shop: 1 December 2015
The tender for Advertising and Specialty shops will take place in first-quarter 2015
.
The length of the contracts is likely to be in the region of 10 years for F&B in T1, 7-8 years for F&B in T2, and seven years for the retail core categories.
In T1, the airside commercial space will be more than doubled, to 3,553sq m. In T2 it will increase by +108% to 3,322sq m. Key elements of the overhaul will include central security areas and walkthrough core travel retail store layouts. More seating areas and VIP lounges will also be added. The project has been conceived in partnership with The Design Solution, whose Director Robbie Gill also attended today’s event.
ACA ranks second in French commercial traffic after Aéroports de Paris (Roissy-Charles de Gaulle and Paris-Orly) with 11.6 million passengers in 2013, and is the second French airport for business aviation traffic after Paris-Le Bourget. Last July ACA extended its portfolio with the acquisition of Saint-Tropez Airport, previously owned by the Reybier group.
Nice Airport grew its commercial revenue by +9% in 2013, surpassing €200m.
More detailed information on Nice Airport’s retail tenders and revamp – described today by Soete as a “quantum leap” – will be unveiled at a roadshow for concessionaires, brands and press at the TFWA Tax Free World Exhibition in October.
