A taste of Tropical North Queensland: Cairns Airport completes A$55 million domestic terminal upgrade

AUSTRALIA. Cairns Airport has announced the completion of its A$55 million T2 Domestic Terminal upgrade. It includes 2,000sq m of new retail and food & beverage outlets which feature a number of concepts with a strong Tropical North Queensland flavour.

The new retail offerings in the terminal upgrade include six shops from Lagardère Travel Retail. They are The Cairns Store (Tropical North Queensland gifts and souvenirs), Relay/Kikki K (both travel essentials), Kaboom/Lego (the two stores cover toys, games, activity packs and books) and Icons Cairns (gifts and gourmet food products, incorporating a restaurant offering light meals and snacks).

The 10,000sq m project to upgrade the Cairns Airport Domestic Terminal includes a wide range of new retail and food & beverage offerings

The new retail line-up is completed by a Billabong store from the global action sports and lifestyle company, Boardriders, and Produce of Australia’s World of Chocolate, selling local and imported chocolates, ice cream and souvenirs.

Inside Kikki K, a travel essentials store introduced by Lagardère Travel Retail

In addition to Lagardère’s Icons restaurant, there are seven more new F&B outlets in the terminal upgrade, shared between global restaurateur HMSHost and Australian hospitality company Red Rock.

HMSHost has opened Hungry Jack’s (fast food), Oporto (Portuguese flame grilled chicken) and Espresso Bar (coffee shop).

Meanwhile, Red Rock is introducing Macchinetta (coffee shop), Rattle n Hub (locally-themed pub), Brewjuice Co (juices, smoothies and acai bowls using produce from north Queensland) and The Pier Bar (featuring local seafood, beers, wines and cocktails).

The new food & beverage offer includes Oporto (specialising in Portuguese flame-grilled chicken) and fast food outlet Hungry Jack’s, both introduced by HMSHost

The T2 Domestic Terminal project has been billed the biggest upgrade to Cairns Airport in 15 years, and spans a total of 10,000sq m. In addition to the extensive new retail and F&B offer, it includes other customer experience improvements such as easier navigation, enhanced screening flow and reduced congestion.

The upgrade also includes expanded seating areas, a new interactive play screen for children, an upgraded Parenting Room and a new Quiet Room, designed for passengers with hidden disabilities.

“When we commenced this project we set ambitious targets to leave a positive and lasting legacy for Far North Queensland and to provide a first-class airport experience.” – Cairns Airport Chief Executive Officer Norris Carter

The new project also incorporates a number of environmentally-friendly initiatives, including carpet made from recycled fishing nets and more natural and LED lighting. The terminal’s upgraded waste management strategy incorporates three stream waste bins and a macerator that reduces organic food waste from the terminal for composting.

Sense of Place: The walkways and public areas of the upgraded Domestic Terminal feature imagery representing Tropical North Queensland, which is home to the Great Barrier Reef

As part of the new-look terminal, Cairns Airport has worked with a number of local tourism operators to support and promote tourism activities across the region. In this regard, the terminal now houses displays from local tourism operators.

Cairns Airport Chief Executive Officer Norris Carter said: “Our Domestic Terminal is a key piece of infrastructure for both our airport and our community and despite the challenges of recent months, it’s great to reflect on what we’ve achieved.

“When we commenced this project we set ambitious targets to leave a positive and lasting legacy for Far North Queensland and to provide a first-class airport experience.

The new Relay store, which specialises in travel essentials including books and magazines

“First impressions mean a lot and we’ve worked hard to represent the depth of the region from its sense of place to its food and culture. As the gateway to the region, we wanted to ensure passengers were instantly connected to the beauty and diversity of Tropical North Queensland, and that’s represented across the terminal.

“I’m delighted that this upgrade immerses travellers in the authenticity of the Tropical North from local food to iconic bars and imagery.”

The unveiling of the terminal upgrade completes A$70 million of investment in Cairns Airport in just over two years, after a runway overlay, with both projects funded entirely by North Queensland Airports and its retail partners.

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