WASHINGTON – Airports Council International – North America (ACI-NA), the trade association representing commercial service airports in the United States and Canada, will host the 2023 ACI-NA Annual Conference & Exhibition September 30 – October 3, 2023, in Long Beach, CA. The Long Beach Airport (LGB) will host this year’s event with Areas USA, HMSHost, Hudson, Lyft, PS, Ricondo, and SSP America serving as executive level sponsors.
“The 2023 Annual Conference and Exhibition comes at an exciting time as we celebrate 75 years of advancing the aviation industry,” said ACI-NA President and CEO Kevin M. Burke. “Throughout our industry’s storied history, ACI-NA has always been a part of the path forward. We are proud of our reputation as a forum to help the industry solve tough challenges and create new opportunities, and we’re ready to continue our work together as we convene thousands of airport industry leaders in Long Beach this year.”
As ACI-NA celebrates its 75th anniversary as the Voice of Airports® in North America in 2023, this year’s conference programming, “Our Journey Together,” will focus on emerging trends and opportunities that will drive the future of the airport industry.
“Long Beach is delighted to welcome attendees of the ACI-NA Annual Conference and Exhibition, which is one of the most anticipated industry events of the year,” said Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson. “This is an opportunity to showcase our city and our award-winning Long Beach Airport and build connections among those in the business of advancing travel, tourism, and trade locally and nationwide.”
This year’s event will feature a keynote address from Zanny Minton Beddoes, editor-in-chief of The Economist. As a renowned global economics expert, Minton Beddoes will provide insights into global economic and geopolitical trends affecting travel trends around the world. Avelo Airlines Founder, Chairman, and CEO Andrew Levy will join as the closing keynote speaker to discuss the future of air service and the industry’s rebound following the pandemic.
“We’re hosting this conference in our sunny beachside city at an opportune time as LGB nears its 100th year as the oldest municipal airport in California,” said Airport Director Cynthia Guidry. “I cannot think of a better place and time for these ACI-NA conference attendees to visit Long Beach and share in this historic and uplifting opportunity to learn from the highest-flying leaders in our industry.”
The 2023 ACI-NA Annual Conference & Exhibition will feature an expansive trade show floor with more than 150 exhibitors. Attendees will gain access to more than 250 booths showcasing the latest products and innovations enhancing the airport experience. A live show floor plan is available here.
A full agenda and more conference details for 2023 ACI-NA Annual Conference & Exhibition can be found on the ACI-NA website.
Credentialed members of the media are welcome to cover the event and should contact Scott Elmore for additional information.
About ACI-NA
Airports Council International-North America (ACI-NA) represents local, regional, and state governing bodies that own and operate commercial airports in the United States and Canada. ACI-NA member airports enplane more than 95 percent of the domestic and virtually all the international airline passenger and cargo traffic in North America. Approximately 380 aviation-related businesses are also members of ACI-NA, providing goods and services to airports. Collectively, U.S. airports support more than 11.5 million jobs and account for $1.4 trillion in economic activity – or more than seven percent of the total U.S. GDP. Canadian airports support 405,000 jobs and contribute C$35 billion to Canada’s GDP. Learn more at www.airportscouncil.org.
About Long Beach Airport
Founded in 1923, Long Beach Airport (LGB) is the oldest airport in California. Among its many awards, LGB was named one of the 2022 Top Ten airports in the country by readers of Condé Nast Traveler magazine. LGB offers non-stop service to several U.S. cities while supporting a healthy general aviation community with more than 300,000 annual operations. The Airport is also a source of substantial economic activity and employment, with the LGB Aviation Complex generating $8.6 billion in economic impact and supporting 46,000 jobs. LGB is a self-supporting enterprise of the City of Long Beach and does not receive local tax dollars. The Airport prides itself in preserving its esteemed historic legacy and maintaining a safe, sustainable, and environmentally responsible operation. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @LGBAirport.
About the City of Long Beach
Long Beach is nestled along the Southern California coast and home to approximately 466,000 people. As an award-winning full-service charter city, Long Beach offers the amenities of a metropolitan city while maintaining a strong sense of individual and diverse neighborhoods, culture and community. With a bustling downtown and over six miles of scenic beaches, Long Beach is a renowned tourist and business destination and home to the iconic Queen Mary, nationally recognized Aquarium of the Pacific and Long Beach Airport, award-winning Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center and world-class Port of Long Beach.
About Areas USA
Areas USA is a leader in the travel hospitality sector operating 140 restaurants and retail stores in ten major airports (soon to be 11) and 13 travel plazas in three states. The company operates restaurants and retail stores in these airports: Los Angeles International, Minneapolis-St. Paul International, Miami International, Chicago O’Hare International, Houston Hobby International, Newark Liberty International, Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International, Orlando International, Detroit Metro Airport, and Indianapolis International. Areas USA also operates travel plazas along the turnpikes in Florida, Maryland, and West Virginia.
About HMSHost
Global restaurateur HMSHost is a world leader in creating dining for travel venues. HMSHost operates locations all over North America, and is part of Dufry Group (SIX: DUFN – www.dufry.com), the leading travel experience player worldwide that uniquely combines retail, food & beverage and digital. The group serves 2.3 billion passengers in more than 75 countries in 5,500 outlets across 1,200 airports, motorways, cruise lines, seaports, railway stations and other locations across six continents. Visit HMSHost.com for more information and connect with HMSHost on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
About Hudson
Hudson, a Dufry Company (SIX: DUFN), is a travel experience company turning the world of travel into a world of opportunity by being the Traveler’s Best Friend in more than 1,000 stores in airports, commuter hubs, landmarks, and tourist locations. Our team members care for travelers as friends at our travel convenience, specialty retail, duty free, and food and beverage destinations. At the intersection of travel and retail, we partner with landlords and vendors, and take innovative, commercial approaches to deliver exceptional value. To learn more about how we can make your location a travel destination, please visit us at hudsongroup.com or follow our journey on LinkedIn.
About Lyft
Lyft is one of the largest transportation networks in North America, bringing together rideshare, bikes and scooters all in one app. We are customer-obsessed and driven by our purpose: getting riders out into the world so they can live their lives together, and providing drivers a way to work that gives them control over their time and money.
About PS
PS, originally established in 2017 as The Private Suite, reimagines the airport experience for the seasoned and discerning traveler. By building and operating private airport terminals, PS allows commercial travelers to bypass the public terminals to indulge in a private and seamless travel experience with the spirit of luxury hospitality. At PS, guests can enjoy luxurious lounges or designated private suites, chef-prepared food, spa services and more, while the PS Control Room coordinates with government, security and airline officials to ensure the utmost efficiency, safety and privacy. Anyone can become a member of PS and corporate memberships are available. For more information on PS, visit www.reservePS.com or follow @reservePS on social media.
About Ricondo, ACI-NA’s Strategic Partner
Ricondo is an international airport management and strategic advisory consultancy serving airport executives and management teams around the world. Our experts include professionals with experience in airport business advisory, financial services, airport facilities and operations and environmental services. Ricondo is an independent, employee-owned company with the singular focus of providing objective advisory services to our clients. Contact us to find out how Ricondo can help you elevate your airport’s performance.
About SSP, ACI-NA’s Corporate Partner
SSP America is a division of SSP Group, a leading operator of food and beverage concessions in travel locations, operating restaurants, bars, cafés, food courts, lounges and convenience stores in airports, train stations, motorway service stations and other leisure locations. We operate in approximately 600 travel locations and manage more than 550 international, national, and local brands across our 2,600 units. The SSP America team is driven by a shared vision to bring authentic restaurant experiences to every airport in North America. Our employees have a passion for exceptional food served by people who believe in heartfelt hospitality. Our airport partners trust SSP America to deliver a world-class portfolio of brands with broad passenger appeal and lasting commercial viability. Our brand heroes trust us to bring a taste of place to their hometown airport.
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