"DIA concessionaires see gains in revenue"

Thursday, October 3, 2002

DIA concessionaires see gains in revenue  
By Jeffrey Leib
The Denver (CO) Post


Business operators at Denver International Airport are enjoying modest
revenue growth this year after getting hit hard by sales declines
immediately following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks last year. 

Total concession revenues at DIA for the first eight months of this year
totaled $90.1 million, up about 1.5 percent from revenues of $88.7
million recorded in the same period in 2001.

The growth in concession revenues came despite an 8 percent drop in
DIA's passenger boardings for January through August this year when
compared with the first eight months of 2001.

DIA concessions manager Amy Shaw said, "It all boils down to fewer
passengers spending more money."

She said for all of 2001, DIA's shops saw the highest concession revenue
per boarded passenger of any of the leading U.S. airports, including
Atlanta's Hartsfield International, Chicago's O'Hare International,
Dallas-Fort Worth International and Los Angeles International.

Rod Tafoya, whose company operates six food and beverage stores at DIA,
said financial success for his shops and other airport concessions
hinges on where they're located at DIA.

One of Tafoya's shops, the Oasis Cafe in DIA's terminal, saw a 204
percent increase in revenues for the first eight months of this year.

Tafoya said a change in the restaurant's concept and menu led to the
sales boost.

Tafoya also had one food concession on DIA's B concourse see 30 percent
revenue growth this year and another on B see a 5.6 percent decline.

The snack and yogurt shop that had the sales decline is at the east end
of B, where United Airlines removed some United Express flights and
moved them to the A concourse.


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