Insights /
Trinity Forum: Establishing the digital airport ecosystem
December 12, 2017
On November 1, 2017, world-leading executives of airports, retail operators and brands met for the three-day Trinity Forum Conference in Bangkok, Thailand. The world's leading global airport commercial revenues conference brought together professionals from around the world to improve the dialogue and mutual understanding of all parties to benefit the traveling consumer.
One of the highlights of the event was the panel discussion "Driving and combating disruption – positive and negative – in airport commerce." AOE CEO Kian Gould set the stage for lively debate with a thought-provoking presentation on disruption, digitalization and the future of airport non-aviation commerce.
Adil Raïhani, Co-Founder and Partner of The Blueprint Partnership moderated the panel. Other panelists included Changi Airport Group Airside Concessions Division, Online Division, Online Retail General Manager, Nicole Foo; Fraport Vice President E-Commerce, Jens Paul; and Auckland Airport General Manager Retail and Commercial, Richard Barker.
One of the major challenges all stakeholders face is the dramatic turnaround in traveling customer purchasing behavior. “Where impulse purchases amounted to 65 to 70 percent in the past, we are now seeing less than 30 percent in impulse purchasing and around 70 percent in planned purchasing,” says Kian Gould. According to Gould, the single-biggest disruptor in the retail environment, including travel retail, is the mobile device.
Combine these two factors and you realize that all players need to rethink the business of generating and growing non-aviation revenues. The only solution for this challenge is for airports to adapt to the changing consumer environment, evolve into a digital ecosystem and collaborate with service providers that think outside the box, Gould concludes.
The Moodie Davitt Report e-Zine: "Establishing the digital airport ecosystem"
Please check out the videos below for an in-depth look at the topic of digitalization in airport commerce, answers to key questions that currently move the industry and Kian’s keynote address.
