AUSTRALIA. Cairns Airport has called for proposals to operate food & beverage services as the A$15 million (US$15.2 million) International Terminal Departure Lounge upgrade progresses.
Cairns Airport General Manager Commercial & Terminals, Kate McCreery-Carr, said the airport is seeking high-quality food & beverage operators with a proven success record to help service the almost 700,000 passengers who pass through the international terminal each year. Proposals will be accepted until Tuesday 17 January.
Sites are located in the departures hall post security and immigration and landside on the ground
floor between the check-in and arrivals hall. The landside area also provides an opportunity to include convenience/grab & go/news/holiday needs-type product within or adjacent to a food & beverage outlet.
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Cairns is Australia’s seventh-busiest airport for international passengers with direct flights to and from Auckland, Tokyo, Osaka, Hong Kong, Guam, Port Moresby and to Singapore, via Darwin. The airport services the growing regional city of Cairns, set in a world renowned tourist destination that includes the iconic Great Barrier Reef and World Heritage Tropical Rainforests.
“In the past financial year international passenger numbers at Cairns Airport increased by an impressive +19.5% compared to the previous year. That’s almost 105,000 more international passengers for a total of approximately 670,000,” she said.
“This growth has motivated a A$15 million upgrade of our International Terminal, including a complete retail refresh which brings with it exciting opportunities for new specialty food & beverage businesses to establish themselves here and add to the existing offer.
“We look forward to receiving proposals from international, national and local brands. We have that mix already operating successfully within our Domestic Terminal following the A$200 million redevelopment completed there in 2010.”
More information is available at: www.cairnsairport.com.au/corporate/tenders.aspx
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As reported, a significant investment is being made in the refurbishment of the international terminal’s retail
precinct, to introduce a range of new and refreshed retail outlets. The key outcome will be the
creation of a walk-through duty free offering (to be operated by JR/Duty Free, replacing incumbent The Nuance Group, which chose not to bid) immediately beyond customs and security.
The airport company noted: “This will completely transform passenger flow and behaviour within the Departure Lounge, with the opportunity for the food & beverage operator to benefit from increased passenger dwell time and willingness to spend.
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The redeveloped landside cafe will provide further opportunity to provide food & beverage services
to:
• staff working at the airport, noting that airlines and government agencies (e.g. customs,
immigration, federal police) have offices within or close to the international terminal;
• Tour guides;
• Tour bus drivers;
• Taxi drivers;
• Farewellers; and
• Meeters and greeters.
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