Airport Experience® News - Customer Service Issue 2025

The Experiential Approach To Passenger Engagement

BY SALLY KRAL

“Experiential” has been a buzzword in airport retail for years now, but what exactly does it entail? “Experiential retail provides more than a space to buy a souvenir shirt – it takes the customer out of the hustle and bustle of a busy terminal and into an energizing escape within the retail environment,” says Jan Farris, founder and CEO of Jan Farris Consulting . “This could include video displays with music videos playing, opportunities to personalize items like bags or notebooks, live meet-the-maker events or even a quick yoga session.” In airports, experiential retail varies greatly, notes Hope Remoundos, chief commercial officer of North America for Avolta . “It can be a pop-up sampling event, game or giveaway, a tech-driven shopping experience like a virtual try-on, or a concierge-style service for highly personalized purchases or gifting. There are so many ways that experiential retail can come to life in an airport, which makes it exciting.” Roderick McOwan, chief development officer for WHSmith North America , acknowledges that experiential retail is trending but he’s wary of leaning too far into it.

“Making sure that the passenger has a great experience through customer service expertise within all of our stores is really the goal rather than gimmicks that may be more associated with stores in a mall,” McOwan explains. “As we’ve seen traditional specialty retail decline in the duty paid market, we’re all looking for the ‘next thing;’ however the latest buzz words from the street don’t necessarily apply to a travel retail environment.” This is certainly true, but many industry professionals argue that the experiential approach is exactly what airport retail needs to bolster sales and improve the traveler

Left: Experiential retail activations are effective ways to engage travelers during major events taking place in an airport’s city. For example, in the days leading up to the Boston Marathon, Avolta had a pop-up at Boston Logan International Airport offering travelers the chance to test out running products. The day after, the pop-up offered celebratory samples from Boston Harbor Distillery and Harbor Sweets. Right: Jan Farris, founder and CEO of Jan Farris Consulting, believes that when executed well, experiential retail has the power to spark joy and shared memories right in the terminal.

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AX NEWS OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2025