AUSTRALIA | Upgrades to Brisbane Airport's International Terminal have been announced as part of its major Future Brisbane upgrades.
Brisbane Airport has announced the release of a Request for Proposal (RFP), inviting top-tier food and beverage and retail operators to bid for over 32 premier opportunities within the International Terminal, as part of the ongoing transformation of Queensland’s premier gateway.
Brisbane Airport is inviting best-in-class operators to be part of this one-of-a-kind journey. All categories will evolve in this retail transformation with RFPs issued first for travel essentials, foreign exchange and food and beverage concessions with specialty following closely afterwards.
Martin Ryan, BAC Executive General Manager Commercial, said the successful retailers will join the BNE community at an incredibly exciting time.
"Our aim is to bring the finest global offerings to Brisbane while showcasing the best of Queensland to the world,” Mr Ryan said.
“Our International Terminal provides the first welcome and final taste of Queensland, and we’re ready to welcome operators into the terminal that will push the boundaries in terms of what they offer in the lead-up to the 2032 Olympics and Paralympic Games."
Ryan added that the International Terminal redevelopment presented an opportunity unlike anything the airport was offered before, with approximately twelve food and beverage, fourteen specialty and four travel essentials sites available, as well as an exclusive foreign exchange partnership across both the International and Domestic Terminals.
“The successful operators will support us in creating a memorable and ‘uniquely Brisbane’ experience for travellers to enjoy as they depart for their holidays or return home. They’ll deliver a very high standard product, will exceed our passengers' expectations, be innovative and unique, and provide exceptional customer service.”
Food and beverage opportunities include a new contemporary high-end bar concept, located on the highly coveted Level 3 departures’ glass windows, offering unrivalled view of the runway and allowing customers the opportunity to sip cocktails while overlooking the airfield.
Level 3 also offers an additional lobby bar opportunity, quick-service restaurants, grab & go kiosk and an all-day café.
The jewel in the crown is the 900sqm food and beverage precinct (about twice the area of a basketball court), a first of its kind in an Australian airport. It will provide an immersive experience that will be a platform for food theatre. The successful operator will cover all aspects of food retailing, including bar service, exceptional coffee, multiple surprise and delight culinary experiences, and rotating seasonal cuisines.
It does not stop there, with two more quick service restaurants, an Espresso bar and a café/bar available on Level 4, along with a new arrivals’ café and Espresso kiosk on Level 2 providing a warm welcome home for Queenslanders, or a friendly welcome to Brisbane for international visitors.
As part of this retail evolution, seven new specialty retail sites will be available on the Level 3 departures ‘High Street’, along with one on Level 4. Brisbane Airport is seeking operators that can align with the ‘Australian, Holiday Enablers, Aspirational Luxury and Considered Gifts’ retail pillars to take the new offering to the next level. The specialty RFP will be released shortly.
The travel essentials category is a quintessential part of the airport retail offering, and Brisbane Airport offers four opportunities in this category. These include an expanded offer on Level 4 landside departures, two airside departure sites on Level 3 and expanded Level 2 landside arrivals site.
The International Terminal is experiencing its strongest performance ever with passenger spend rates outperforming pre-covid numbers following a recent flurry of new route launches and announcements.
Brisbane Airport’s International Terminal already serves over 5.3 million passengers each year through a network of 31 international ports, with international passenger volumes forecast to double over the next ten years.
The retail refresh and expansion comes as Brisbane Airport finalises plans for the upgrade of the International Terminal, as part of the $5 billion Future BNE transformation of the entire airport, which includes upgrades to both terminals, planning for Terminal 3, as well as landmark industrial and commercial developments.
