FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ACI-NA Airport Concessions Conference to Feature Latest Trends in Airport Retail
Washington, D.C. (Sept. 15, 2008) — Airports Council International- North America's (ACI-NA) 2008 Airport Concessions Conference will be held Nov. 10–13, in Toronto. The conference brings top airport management and concession professionals together to meet with potential clients, tenants and service providers. During the two-day program, participants will learn about the latest in retail trends in airports, ways to increase non-aeronautical revenue, and new ways to optimize their business practices.
“This year’s conference is particularly valuable to many airports, as the need for alternative sources of revenue increases,” said ACI-NA Chief Financial Officer, Brett McAllister. “Airport professionals will not only have the opportunity to build important relationships, but attendees will learn about the latest trends in airport concessions that can help their businesses flourish."
This year’s annual conference keynote speaker is David Clanachan, Chief Operating Officer of Tim Hortons U.S. and International. Providing industry updates and trends will be James Adams, 5ive Creative and John Mascia, Tastes on the Fly/D-lew Enterprises, LLC. Concession managers from Atlanta-Hartsfield, The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and HDS Retail NA will discuss Space Optimization: Getting a Dollar out of Every Nook and Cranny.
The panel discussion on Airport Advertising will include as speakers Jonathan Goldsmid-Whyte, CEO, Aviator; John Jory, President of Clear Channel Outdoor; and Eileen Waechter, Greater Toronto Airport Authority.
Roundtable discussions will be held on key industry issues such as Raising Concession Sales in a Sliding Economy, Arrivals Duty Free, Consolidated Car Rentals, and Understanding Models of Capital Expenditure for Food & Beverage and Retail Concessions. These discussions will be followed by the popular Speed Dating forum, where airports, concession operators, and small businesses can exchange information in the hopes of developing future business relationships.
Awards Luncheon and Hockey Hall of Fame
Hockey personality Dennis Hull will serve as master of ceremonies at the Tuesday, Nov. 11 luncheon, where ACI-NA will honor the winners of the 2008 ACI-NA Richard A. Griesbach Excellence in Airport Concessions Contest. The Concessions Contest recognizes the innovative spirit within the airport concessions industry by rewarding first-rate airport concession programs; categories include retail programs, consumer service concepts, environmentally friendly initiatives, and more. The Griesbach Award for Excellence honors an airport that has displayed extraordinary innovation and creativity in its entire concession program. The 2007 winner was Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.
Following the awards ceremony, join the Greater Toronto Airports Authority for its host event at the Hockey Hall of Fame – wear your favorite team jersey. The conference will conclude on Thursday, Nov. 13, with a first-hand glimpse of Toronto Pearson International Airport's exciting concession program.
Visit the ACI-NA Concessions Conference web pages to register for the conference or for more information: http://www.aci-na.org/conferences/detail?eventId=100.
About ACI-NA
Airports Council International - North America represents local, regional and state governing bodies that own and operate commercial airports in the United States and Canada. ACI-NA member airports enplane more than 95 percent of the domestic and virtually all the international airline passenger and cargo traffic in North America. Over 400 aviation-related businesses are also members of the association, which is the largest of the five worldwide regions of Airports Council International.
CONTACT:
Victoria Houghton, vhoughton@aci-na.org, (202) 861-8080
Eileen Denne, edenne@aci-na.org, (202) 293-4537