In Crisis – Travel Retail Voices: Airport Restaurant & Retail Association Executive Director Rob Wigington : Moodie Davitt Report

Welcome to In Crisis – Travel Retail Voices, our new podcast series in which we speak to travel retail executives around the world to see how they and their businesses are coping with the COVID-19 crisis.

This episode features Rob Wigington (pictured), former CEO of Nashville Airport Authority and now Executive Director at the Airport Restaurant & Retail Association, which represents the interests of airport concessionaires in the US market.

As reported, ARRA and its counterpart organisation the Airport Minority Advisory Council (AMAC) have jointly urged US airports and Congress to ensure financial relief measures for their members, airport restaurateurs and retailers.

The associations represent a US$10 billion industry made up of firms of varying sizes, including many small and local businesses which contribute US$2.5 billion to airport revenue streams. Together, these businesses employ more than 125,000 workers in US airports.

Rob talks about the impact of the crisis on lives and businesses, and about how some small companies might only survive for weeks unless relief is forthcoming. The full interview will appear online shortly.

Click on the icon to listen to Rob Wigington.

Previously on In Crisis – Travel Retail Voices

April 7: José Luis Donagaray and Inés Sisto Patron (ASUTIL)

April 5: General Manager of Nestlé International Travel Retail, Stewart Dryburgh

April 2: Founder of Duty Free Global, Barry Geoghegan

April 1: Vice President of Miami-based Essence Corp, Patricia Bona.

29 March: William Grant & Sons President Asia Pacific Doug Bagley

29 March: PMA Canada National Director – Duty Free Jeff Orson

27 March: Paul & Shark Global Travel Retail Director Catherine Bonelli

26 March: King Power Traveler President Rakhita Jayawardena

25 March: Public health expert Dr. David Heymann

24 March: King Power Group (Hong Kong) Group Chief Executive Officer Sunil Tuli