The Moodie Davitt Report Chairman Martin Moodie is pleased to introduce his new series called The Wonderful World of Airports, in which he puts the spotlight on the many activities – operational, commercial and cultural – that make airports such a fascinating tapestry of human endeavour and interaction.
The series, to be published in full in the spectacular new-look Moodie Davitt e-Zine, will examine these crossroads of humanity all around the world, each instalment focusing on a different aspect of the selected airport’s day-to-day operations. Here, Moodie visits Taipei and presents a special preview of Issue 1, out next month.
Taoyuan International Airport is the gateway to the magical, eclectic city of Taipei. I have described Taoyuan International several times as my favourite airport in the world and my view remains unchanged. Not because it’s the most contemporary or spectacular gateway but because here’s an airport company that fulfils its civic responsibilities to city, country and people better than any I know.
That’s the result of an internationally unique model, a PPP (Public-Private-Partnership) structure through which the retailer (Everrich Duty Free) constructs and manages the airside public facilities as well as running most of the retail and F&B.
Here’s what I wrote in a 2012 Blog that neatly sums up my justification. “To me, airports are more than mere ‘gateways’, more than facilitators of entering or exiting a given location. They are (or should be) an expression of that city or country, the potentially vibrant first or last impression a resident or visitor gets on arrival or departure.
“An airport should, I believe, reflect its local, regional or national culture. It should champion traditions and tastes, history and heritage, causes and commerce. In 25 years of travelling the travel retail world I have yet to encounter an airport that does those things as well as Taiwan Taoyuan International.
“Equally an airport should offer a range of public services, not just revenue-generating ones but also free wi-fi, electronic charging facilities, rest areas, children’s zones, (multi-denominational) prayer rooms. And of course it should have great shopping and dining outlets, ones that blend the best of international and local products and tastes.
“Taoyuan International is not the flashiest nor the most attractive airport, though extensive refurbishments have lifted the appearance of both Terminal 1 (opened in 1979) and the more modern Terminal 2 (2000). But in its public service areas and airport waiting lounges it touches great heights. These zones capture the city’s commerce, cultural diversity and crafts in a way that always impresses, sometimes surprises and often inspires.”
Below, I present a preview of the public services areas run by Ever Rich Duty Free. Touring them is like embarking on a cultural treasure hunt. Each of 18 waiting lounges shows a different aspect of Taiwanese life while the company also runs a series of 11 museum shops to promote Taiwanese culture and local artists, in association with Taoyuan Airport Company and the Taiwan Ministry of Culture. The pictures tell some, but not all, of the story. Look out for our special e-Zine feature, out next month, which does.
WHY A CALL TO GATE AT TAOYUAN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT IS A PLEASURE
(Terminal 1)
WAITING LOUNGES (TERMINAL 2)
PUBLIC SERVICE WITH A SMILE
OTHER PUBLIC FACILITIES