The survey asked a key question: does the industry try to return to where it was pre-COVID, or does it rewrite the rules and make a fresh start? Most airports, retailers and brands have “shunned” the idea of reverting to ‘business-as-usual’, because so much has changed. The non-aeronautical business is being reworked, notes the report. “Airports are prioritising revamps of their commercial programmes – sometimes from the ground up – with a view to driving higher spending per pax (SPP). A lift in spending has been a trend during the pandemic, but possibly an artificial one due to the skew of passenger types able to travel. In reality, nobody knows exactly how the pandemic will impact traveller sentiment in the long-run. For retailers what has been clear is that – though numbers remain low – passengers are often eager to shop when they fly.” A key question is whether consumer spending will remain high as travel returns at scale. It is unclear as yet whether that will happen. One feature of the new travel world is the emphasis on domestic travellers, with international traffic still subdued. The report states: “There is a greater appetite for airports to develop wider non-aeronautical revenue streams by targeting domestic shoppers as well as travellers. One major Asian hub could not be clearer in its assessment saying: ‘We have pivoted to non-travellers and local residents who come to the airport to shop and dine. We’re catering to the domestic market and this business is here to stay even when traffic recovers.’”