TPA’s new concessions program wins top industry accolade

(March 29, 2018) Tampa International Airport earned top industry honors earlier this month for its newly reinvented concessions program, which features dozens of new shops and restaurants and more local options than ever before. 

At the 2018 Airport Revenue News awards ceremony on March 15, TPA earned the award for Airport with Best Program Design while VP of Airport Concessions Laurie Noyes earned the coveted Concessions Property Manager of the Year. Airport Revenue News is the leading trade organization for Airport concessions.

“This is a tremendous honor for our team and speaks to the amazing progress we’ve been able to make in recent years,” said Noyes. “Airports across the country are upping their game with more local options and greater variety. Tampa International Airport is ahead of the pack in many regards and we look forward to continuing to provide our passengers with top-notch experiences.

The award for best program design is given to an Airport that blends engaging and visually stunning environments with flow and function.

To date, TPA has opened 62 of 69 new shops and restaurants, including all but one restaurant. The new program is 40 percent local and designed to reflect the Tampa Bay region both in terms of food and aesthetics. Local options include Ulele, RumFish Grill, Buddy Brew coffee, Cigar City and more.

“Our new shops and restaurants really create a great first and last impression for all of our guests,” said Noyes. “We are giving guests a great sense of what the Tampa Bay region is all about.”

This is the first Concessions Property Manager of the Year award for Noyes, who came to the Airport in 2012. Noyes said she was honored to be recognized as a stand out among her Airport peers.

“We have a really strong concessions team here at Tampa International Airport and I’m proud to be a part of it,” she said. “We had essentially the same concessions program here for decades. Thanks to the leadership of Airport CEO Joe Lopano and our Board, we’ve been able to completely reimagine our program. It’s an exciting time and I look forward to opening all of our remaining shops and restaurants later this year.”

Executive Vice President of Operations and Customer Service John Tiliacos said Laurie was selected as property manager of the year after ARN collected feedback from both airports and concessionaires.

“There is no one more deserving than Laurie Noyes, who has done a masterful job of leading the largest concessions redevelopment program Tampa International Airport has ever undertaken,” he told the Board on April 5.