PT World | January 2026
12 Dec 2025
The commercial offer is fast becoming both an art and a science, with commercial planning critical to airport growth
Airport owners and operators seeking to incrementally boost retail and F&B revenue
are turning to commercial planning and new technology to keep passengers calm, entertain them, overcome their spending doubts, target specific cohorts, and drive them to the shops.
It’s a tall order but there is a clear need. The latest data from management consultancy Kearney indicates that passengers are spending less per head. In fact, it is only because traveler numbers are rising that overall retail and F&B revenue is increasing at airports.
Kearney’s study, released at the end of September 2025, notes that while 2024 saw record global passenger volumes at 9.5 billion (surpassing pre-pandemic peaks), growth in travel retail lagged. “For the third consecutive year, the gap between traffic and value widened, and what appeared initially as a temporary mismatch has now turned into a structural disconnect,” the report says. In 2024, global travel retail revenue was US$74.1bn, about 13% below 2019 levels.
Buyer's Guide: Science and Art of Commercial Planning - PT World | January 2026 - 12 Dec 2025
