INTERNATIONAL. A powerful programme for the first in a new series of webinars aimed at helping to reimagine the future air passenger journey – one that is holistic across operational and commercial touchpoints – has been announced.
Presented by Portland Design and the influential travel retail blog Trunblocked.com, the event series Future Airports: From Here to Where? will kick off on the afternoons of 15 and 16 September, UK time.
The organisers are promising “a journey to the future of airport retail” and “a very different webinar model”. They describe it as a hybrid event, combining studio panel sessions, live plus pre-recorded interviews and location filming, as well as some surprise segments.
There are five sessions on day one covering a broad range of subjects, including reimagining future airports, lessons for travel retail from the High Street, the future of F&B sector in airports and a focus on new commercial pillars and principles.
“There has to be a strong will to change and our innovative new webinar model is designed specifically to encourage that – especially from the airports who will be instrumental in driving that change” – Peter Marshall, Founder, Trunblocked.com
Meanwhile, the five sessions on day two will cover topics including the adoption of digital, brands in travel retail, lessons from disruptors, customer perspectives and future airport commercial models.
The speaker list and panels across the two days will feature major names from both inside and outside the airport and travel retail industries (see full programme below). Many of the names appearing are globally-recognised as leaders in their sectors including Polly Barnfield (CEO, Maybe), Miya Knights (Head of Industry Insight, Eagle Eye Solutions) and Rory Sutherland (Vice Chairman, Ogilvy UK).
Alongside some of the travel retail industry’s top consultants, also appearing are well-known High Street retail experts, three prominent airport CEOs and two leading CEOs from the F&B sector.
Peter Marshall, Founder of Trunblocked.com and moderator of the webinar, said: “It’s what I would describe as a real ‘brains trust’ and it contains not only familiar, influential industry names but also includes new contributors to the mix who bring an important outside perspective.
“Whether people like it or not, it is a pivotal time for the industry to effect positive change that can make it sustainable for the future and help to reduce the time lapse back to a more prosperous airport landscape.”
He added: “There has to be a strong will to change and our innovative new webinar model is designed specifically to encourage that – especially from the airports who will be instrumental in driving that change.”
“We will be covering the entire airport experience – we believe that airports need to repurpose themselves and reimagine the consumer experience” – Ibrahim Ibrahim, Managing Director, Portland Design
Co-host Ibrahim Ibrahim, Managing Director of Portland Design, said: “The key focus is the future. We will be covering the entire airport experience – we believe that airports need to repurpose themselves and reimagine the consumer experience. So, both webinar days will be dedicated to covering all the elements that revolve around the customer’s experience – both the operational process and the commercial components of the holistic experience.”
He added: “Importantly, we will also be exploring in detail new commercial models. The new reality is that airports will have to deliver more convenient and compelling experiences aligned with new types of revenue. This will very much be the focus of a webinar series which we firmly believe can play a major role in shaping a positive future for airports.”
Attendance to the live broadcast and online event – staged 15 September (14:00-17:00 UTC) and 16 September (14:00-16:30 UTC) – costs £30 (US$38) for each session, and can be booked here. Profits will go to the Duty Free World Council Academy’s online learning programme. The proceeds will help fund bursaries for people with disadvantaged and diverse backgrounds who want to enter the business as well as for those who have just joined.
More details on the webinar series can be accessed on the event’s dedicated website here.
