Portland International takes top honour in 2017 ACI-NA Airport Concessions Awards

NORTH AMERICA. Portland International Airport has taken the top honour in Airports Council International-North America’s (ACI-NA) 2017 Airport Concessions Awards.

It was awarded the Richard A. Griesbach Award for Excellence in Airport Concessions during a gala dinner at the 2017 ACI-NA Business of Airports Conference in Palm Springs, California.

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Portland International Airport’s concessions programme combines local, regional and national shops and restaurants
Image: Port of Portland

The Hudson Group-operated World Duty-Free at William P. Hobby Airport was victorious in the ‘Best New Duty-Free Concept’ category, while Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport took first place in the ‘Best Retail Program – Large Airport’ section.

Los Angeles World Airports Terminal 2 and Terminal 6 (in partnership with Westfield, Crews, Delaware North, HMSHost, Jackmont Hospitality, and SSP America) placed first in the ‘Best Food & Beverage Program – Large Airport’ category.

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Dufry opened a renovated MSP Duty Free store at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport’s Terminal 1 earlier this year

“ACI-NA is pleased to recognise Portland International Airport with this year’s overall Richard A. Griesbach Award of Excellence,” said ACI-NA President and CEO Kevin M. Burke. “Through Portland International Airport’s concession programme, the Port of Portland optimised sustainable business opportunities while enhancing the overall passenger experience.

“The ACI-NA Excellence in Airport Concessions Awards recognises the most innovative and outstanding airport concessions, and Portland International Airport is a great example of the impressive work airports are doing to improve the passenger experience.”

The 2017 ACI-NA Concessions Person of the Year was awarded to Randy Goodman of the Houston Airport System. He led the concessions programmes for George Bush Intercontinental and William P. Hobby airports “through innovative concepts, collaborative strategic planning, and continuous improvement”, ACI-NA said.

Over 550 commercial management, business diversity, human resource, and finance representatives from the North American airport industry attended the 2017 ACI-NA Business of Airports Conference.

ACI-NA presented 37 other awards at the event. Here is the full list of winners:

Best New Food and Beverage (Full-Service Concept)

1st Place: Saison, Newark Liberty International Airport (Operated by OTG Management)

2nd Place: Rock & Brews, Los Angeles World Airports (Operated by Crews)

3rd Place: RumFish Grill, Tampa International Airport (Operated by Delaware North as TPA Hospitality Partners)

Best New Food and Beverage (Quick-Service Concept)

1st Place: Angel Food Bakery and Donut Bar, Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (Operated by Delaware North and Angel Food Bakery)

2nd Place: Grindhouse Killer Burgers, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (Operated by Delaware North)

3rd Place: Wow Bao, Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (Operated by Paradies Lagardère)

Best New Retail Concept

1st Place: TUMI/Swarovski, Tampa International Airport (Operated by Stellar Partners, Inc.)

2nd Place: MAC, William P. Hobby Airport (Operated by Hudson Group)

3rd Place: Squaw Valley | Alpine Meadows Mountain Concierge, Reno-Tahoe International Airport (Operated by Squaw Valley Resort, LLC)

Best “Green” Concessions Concept or Practice

1st Place: Vancouver International Airport

2nd Place: Chicago Department of Aviation

3rd Place: Portland International Airport

Best New News & Gift Concept

1st Place: explore AFAR, Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (Operated by Delaware North and CBR Partners)

2nd Place: Texas Monthly News, George Bush Intercontinental Airport (Operated by Hudson Group)

3rd Place: Shady Lane Marketplace, William P. Hobby Airport (Operated by Paradies Lagardère)

Best New Local Concept

1st Place: The Country Cat Dinnerhouse & Bar, Portland International Airport (Operated by Andale Management Group)

2nd Place: Kapnos Taverna, Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (Operated by HMSHost)

3rd Place: Hurley’s, Aéroports de Montréal (Operated by SSP America)

Best New National Brand Concept

1st Place: Wahlburgers, Boston Logan International Airport (Operated by SSP America)

2nd Place: P.F. Chang’s, Tampa International Airport (Operated by HMSHost)

3rd Place: Univision, Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (Operated by Paradies Lagardère)

Best New Duty-Free Concept

1st Place: World Duty-Free, William P. Hobby Airport (Operated by Hudson Group)

Best Innovative Consumer Experience Concept or Practice

1st Place: Squaw Valley | Alpine Meadows Mountain Concierge, Reno-Tahoe International Airport (Operated by Squaw Valley Resort, LLC)

2nd Place: Taste of Hartsfield-Jackson, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (Operated by Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport)

3rd Place: Military Exodus for the Holidays, Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (Operated by Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport)

Best New Consumer Service Concept

1st Place: Escape Lounge, Bradley International Airport and Oakland International Airport (Operated by MAG USA)

Best Food & Beverage Program – Large Airport

1st Place: Los Angeles World Airports, Terminal 2 and Terminal 6  (In partnership with Westfield, Crews, Delaware North, HMSHost, Jackmont Hospitality, and SSP America)

2nd Place: O’Hare International Airport, Terminal 5

3rd Place: Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport

Best Food & Beverage Program – Medium Airport

1st Place: Sacramento International Airport

2nd Place: Edmonton International Airport

Best Food & Beverage Program – Small Airport

1st Place: Dane County Regional Airport

Best Retail Program – Large Airport

1st Place: Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport

2nd Place: Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport

Best Retail Program – Medium Airport

1st Place: Edmonton International Airport

Best Innovation in Sustainability

1st Place: The Good Traveler, San Diego International Airport

Best New Passenger Experience Concessions Program

1st Place: Boston Logan International Airport

2017 Concessions Person of the Year

Randy Goodman, Houston Airport System

2017 Richard A. Griesbach Award for Excellence in Airport Concessions

Portland International Airport

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