AUSTRALIA. Melbourne Airport has partnered with TravConsult on a training initiative focused on upskilling retail staff to better interact with a growing number of Asian travellers.
The programme launched with 500 frontline staff enrolled in TravConsult’s Online Asian Market Travel Retail and Duty Free courses.
The airport company has prioritised three courses focused on Chinese, Indian and Japanese travellers, with Vietnamese and Korean markets under review for future roll-out, reinforcing its traveller-first approach.
Melbourne Airport Head of Retail Aaron Gupta said: “This is all about enhancing the airport and retail experience for all travellers. We want our staff to feel confident and culturally fluent when interacting with today’s Asian travellers, because great engagement drives great commercial outcomes.”
The training programme aligns with Asia’s surging travel demand. Melbourne Airport welcomed 11 million international passengers in FY24, up +14% year-on-year, with 1.24 million arriving in January 2025 alone, setting a post-pandemic record.
Citing Newscop data, the airport reported a rebound in regional seat capacity, surpassing pre-pandemic levels with a +113% increase in 2024–25. With 72% of international capacity operated by foreign carriers, many from Asia, culturally informed engagement has been described as crucial for commercial success.
Developed by TravConsult, the online courses offer:
- Behavioural and service insights for Chinese, Indian and Japanese travellers
- Bite-sized, mobile-friendly content tailored for retail and F&B staff
- 12-month access, with full administrative support and reporting tools
- Practical tools to lift team confidence, guest satisfaction and conversion
- Delivery powered by etrainu – TravConsult’s LMS platform partner and online training and business solutions specialist, which created Melbourne Airport’s bespoke welcome and landing page.
TravConsult Co-Founder Trevor Lee said: “This is not generic training. It’s purpose-built for travel retail staff; fast, focused, and immediately relevant to the frontline.”
TravConsult Co-Founder and Executive General Manager Lilly Choi-Lee added: “What makes this exciting is that Melbourne Airport is not just ticking a box; they’re investing in real cultural capability across their retail ecosystem.”
Driving growth and success
The initiative began by developing a consistent knowledge base among 500 staff across diverse concessions, allowing teams to more proactively engage with high-value Asian travellers.
Gupta said: “This is about setting a new standard. With strong support from our retail partners, we’re creating an airport-wide culture that reflects the diversity of the guests we serve every day.”
This initiative supports Melbourne Airport’s long-term expansion strategy, including a new terminal and third runway, and its projection of 76 million passengers by 2046.
The airport company’s initiative highlights how in-depth cultural understanding drives competitive advantage.
Unlike other airports and retailers offering cultural training tools, Melbourne Airport’s combines scale, structure and strategic alignment.
With the return of Asian travel and spending, such programmes will define success in airport retail, the airport company noted. ✈
