More than 760 airport executives and concessionaires from around the country gathered in Orlando last week for ARN’s 2012 Revenue Conference & Exhibition. The record-breaking attendance levels underscored the vitality of the aviation industry as economic recovery – and recovery in travel and spending – continue in the United States.
The three-day event featured numerous dynamic speakers and a vibrant exhibit hall. More than 100 booths were sold in the exhibit hall, representing some of the best airport concessionaires in the country.
Day One of the conference was dedicated to educational sessions for both new and seasoned industry professionals. For newbies and those who are still “green” in the industry, the Concessions 101 session provided an introduction to the business practices and challenges for airports and concessionaires. The Concessions 201 and Concessions 301 sessions provided insight on how to capitalize on shopping trends, how to launch proprietary concepts, how to use social media to advance your business and other topics.
Day Two began with a keynote address from U.S. Rep. John Mica, chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, who discussed the funding challenges airports face going forward. Speaker Rohit Talwar, founder and CEO of Fast Future, gave attendees a glimpse into what future travelers will be thinking and how they will be spending, and the new airport revenue opportunities that are likely to emerge.
Talwar’s travel outlook was followed by a State of the Airline Industry discussion with aviation consultant Michael Boyd of Boyd Group International, and State of the Airport Industry presentations from Susan Baer, aviation director for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey; Phil Brown, executive director for Orlando International; Jeffrey Fegan, CEO at Dallas/Fort Worth International and Louis Miller, general manager at Atlanta International.
Day Three began with a session on the State of the Concessions Industry, led by Alain Maca, CEO of JFKIAT, and Andrew Lynch, CEO of SSP. Other key sessions included discussions on the future of airport retailing and on new developments in the food arena.
An evening cocktail party on Day One marked the opening of the exhibition hall, where new and seasoned concessionaires presenting their visions for airport retail and food and beverage. The hall was bustling throughout the three-day event, connecting the hundreds of airport professionals, concessionaires, consultants and service providers gathered there.
The ARN Revenue Conference & Exhibition was capped by the annual Awards Banquet, which recognized outstanding airports and concessionaires in various categories. Full coverage of the conference and the awards show will appear in the April issue of Airport Revenue News.
