FAB TALKS
Sizing up the Amman Airport F&B opportunity
Airport International Group (AIG) Chief Commercial Officer Deema Anani unveiled a major F&B tender opportunity at Queen Alia International Airport in Jordan during FAB 2023.
Under a tender four years ago, the concession was awarded to BTA Catering and Lagardère Travel Retail, but the airport group cancelled the opportunity due to the uncertain climate during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Now, Anani explained, the valuable and lucrative opportunity has re-emerged with a refreshed focus on finding a creative partner with a vision to make the space their own.
“I know I first announced this tender in 2018,” Anani said. “But in 2020, you all know what happened and we were unable to go through with the tender due to the uncertainty of that time, so we made the decision to cancel and wait and see what would happen.”
For this version of the tender, the airport is seeking a master concessionaire to occupy 1,600sq m space in departures and 600sq m at the arrivals area under an eight-year term.
With a vision already set out, Anani said AIG wants to work with a brand which can help it to achieve what she described as “the truest meaning of partnership”.
For five years AIG has been busy testing concepts in arrivals, often finding just how much local flavours appeal to travellers
Jordan’s national dish, Mansaf, is UNESCO-protected, as explained by Deema Anani
Speaking about why the tender will be different this time, Anani said: “The difference is that we’re offering zones so we’re not identifying what goes where but we’re identifying what we would like to see. We’re leaving it to the successful bidder to design the space and design the location and say what goes where based on their vision, expertise and experience.”
Anani also touched on the importance of innovation and Sense of Place. “If you do not understand the place [Jordan], you cannot develop a Sense of Place. The Sense of Place definition is elastic, what it means to the local community is what really matters.”
Anani was keen to explain why every moment matters for travellers and why time is a precious commodity. In a compelling video, she pulled guests at FAB into the beautiful world of Jordan and the famous city of Petra.
The presentation included a video introducing the country.
Anani commented: “We are a small country of 10.5 million people and almost half of these live in the capital city, Amman. We are a young country – 54% of the population is under 25 years of age. We are famous for our historical sites like Petra and for our incredible world-class healthcare. We are a destination wedding hotspot and 82% of passengers at our airport are international.”
She went on to share with delegates the sights, sounds and flavours of Jordan and its culinary delights.
FAB eZine
January 2024
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