INTERNATIONAL. Welcome to the September 2020 edition of The Moodie Davitt Magazine. In this issue, we review the impact of COVID-19 on the world of airports, from passenger traffic to commercial revenues and the traveller experience, taking in a range of views from actors across the industry.
We get the big picture about prospects for air travel from airports body ACI Europe in an interview with Director General Olivier Jankovec, who hits out at the lack of policy consistency among governments that is undermining traveller confidence.
We speak to Fraser Brown and Tanja Dik, who head retail at leading airports London Heathrow and Amsterdam Schiphol respectively. They comment on the effects of the pandemic on their businesses, their people and their partners, and discuss the platforms on which they aim to rebuild as traffic returns.
We also cast the spotlight on changing travelling consumer behaviour, the future of the airport concession model and how sector stakeholders are reacting during a harsh transitionary period caused by COVID-19.
These key themes were discussed during two webinars this month, hosted by The Moodie Davitt Report in association with Bain & Company.
Leaning on the discussions from those webinars, in this issue we look at how airports may need to adapt to evolving traveller needs by updating the service and product mix, and to react much faster to dynamics such as digitalisation.
We also bring you further reaction to the UK government’s decision to axe tax free sales for overseas visitors from 1 January – a move that could prove a “catastrophe” for the industry in a key market.
We’re also pleased to bring you our latest Category Insight supplement, this time devoted to the business of confectionery & fine food in travel retail – with the views of brand owners and retailers on how we might emerge from crisis a more agile, vibrant industry.
Please enjoy this edition with our compliments.
