Concessionaires were judged by an independent panel of professionals that included representatives from Bayside MarketPlace, the Greater Miami and the Beaches Hotel Association, the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau, and luxury retail brand Swarovski.
MIAMI – Miami International Airport recognized its top shops and restaurants based on excellence in customer service, merchandise and menu offerings at its inaugural Concession of the Year Awards Ceremony on January 29.
Out of more than 200 retail and dining locations at MIA, the winners categorized by gross revenue and airport location were:
- Small Concessionaire of the Year (North Terminal): Miami Heat
- Small Concessionaire of the Year (South Terminal): Miami News Connection
- Small Concessionaire of the Year (Central Terminal): GNC
- Medium Concessionaire of the Year (North Terminal): Icebox Cafe
- Medium Concessionaire of the Year (Central Terminal): Chili’s Too
- Large Concessionaire of the Year (North Terminal): Ocean Drive
- Overall Concession of the Year: Duty Free Americas
“Second only to our airlines, our shops and restaurants are without a doubt the most visible and most important aspects of our airport,” said Miami-Dade Aviation Director Emilio T. Gonzalez. “We are extremely proud of each Concession of the Year winner for their dedication to service excellence, and for setting the pace for all of our concessionaires.”
Concessionaires were judged by an independent panel of professionals that included representatives from Bayside MarketPlace, the Greater Miami and the Beaches Hotel Association, the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau, and luxury retail brand Swarovski. Each concession was judged based on excellence in presentation, retailing and merchandising/menu selection; uniqueness of space/street appeal; sales per square foot; and customer service.
The size categories were determined by annual gross revenue, with Large category nominees earning $5,000,000 or more, Medium nominees earning between $2,000,000 and $5,000,000, and Small nominees grossing up to $2,000,000.
MIA’s dining and shopping options continue to earn recognition on the national level as well. According to the 2015 Airport Revenue News Fact Book, MIA has the third-highest sales per passenger dollar value among all airports in North America (see attached), and the airport and its concessions are also nominated for six awards in the USA Today 10Best Readers’ Choice travel award contest.
Photo caption: Jerome Falic (center), CEO of Duty Free Americas, and company executives received the MIA 2015 Overall Concession of the Year Award from MIA Concession Business Development Chief Adrian Songer (left), MIA Director Emilio T. Gonzalez (third from left), and MIA Assistant Director for Business Retention and Development Gregory C. Owens (far right).
Vicky is the co-founder of TravelDailyNews Media Network where she is the Editor-in Chief. She is also responsible for the daily operation and the financial policy. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Tourism Business Administration from the Technical University of Athens and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wales.
She has many years of both academic and industrial experience within the travel industry. She has written/edited numerous articles in various tourism magazines.
