AUSTRALIA. Melbourne Airport – Australia’s second largest airport by passenger numbers – has agreed to be Host Airport for the 2024 Australian Airports Association (AAA) Retail & Commercial Forum.
The event, which takes place on 22-24 July at the Pullman on the Park Hotel in East Melbourne, follows a highly successful 2023 event hosted by Brisbane Airport.
Organised by a partnership between the AAA, The Mercurius Group and The Moodie Davitt Report, the Forum brings together all the key players in the non-aeronautical industry, including airports from Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands as well as duty free retailers, specialty retail operators, food & beverage (F&B) operators, foreign exchange operators, advertising concessionaires, ground transport providers and various advisers and suppliers.
The 2023 Forum set records for attendance, sponsorships and exhibitors, and the 2024 event is expected to be even bigger. The Gala and Awards Dinner promises to be among the big highlights – it will be held at the famous Melbourne Cricket Ground on Tuesday 23 July.
The theme of the 2024 event is ‘Growth through Understanding, Benchmarking and Analysis’, and will feature a number of bespoke research studies undertaken for the Forum in the areas of retail, ground transport and tenant satisfaction.
An exciting array of speakers is being lined up, including in the areas of consumer data analytics and benchmarking against domestic retail and ground transport environments.
The Forum will feature new elements including a dedicated half-day Ground Transport Forum as well as a Small Airport Commercial Master Class. These are in addition to the usual strong focus of the event on concession agreements, duty free, specialty retail, F&B, currency change, advertising and other ancillary commercial revenues.
AAA Chief Executive James Goodwin said: “The Retail and Commercial Forum has gone from strength to strength since the inaugural event in 2022 and this year will now feature a Small Airport Commercial Master Class ensuring all size airports and aerodromes can get the most from this important event.
“Having Melbourne Airport as our host and having the City of Melbourne as our location will strongly enhance the event’s appeal to all those in the airport commercial sector.”
Melbourne Airport Chief Executive Lorie Argus said: “Melbourne Airport is delighted to have the opportunity to host the Forum in 2024 and recognises the important contribution the event makes to improving the development and professionalism of the non-aeronautical side of airports.
“Melbourne Airport has one of the strongest commercial programmes in the Pacific region and we are keen to share our current and future projects while also learning from others.”
The Mercurius Group Managing Director Ivo Favotto said: “A lot of the airport commercial sector is based in Melbourne including duty free, F&B, specialty, currency change, advertising and GT operators, so we anticipate a Melbourne-based Forum will attract strong sponsorship and exhibitor interest as well as and a record number of delegates.”
The Moodie Davitt Report President Dermot Davitt said: “The Host Airport plays an important role in events like the AAA Retail & Commercial Forum. Melbourne Airport’s support for this event is a signal to all other airports and its commercial partners that this event is the place to be and to do business.”
Details about the Forum can be found on the AAA website and more announcements will be made soon as the programme develops.
For speaking and sponsorship opportunities, please contact Ivo Favotto at ifavotto@themercuriusgroup.com ✈
