World’s first CNN Traveller Café created in partnership with SSP at Abu Dhabi International Airport
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 7 December 2014: The world’s first airport café from CNN was officially unveiled today at Abu Dhabi Airports in partnership with SSP, a leading operator of food and beverage outlets in travel locations worldwide.
CNN Traveller café, situated in Terminal 3, the dedicated Etihad Airways Terminal at Abu Dhabi International Airport, was opened today in a ceremony attended by H.E. Mohammed Mubarak Al Mazrouei, Board Member of Abu Dhabi Airports; Rani R. Raad, Chief Commercial Officer at CNN International; and Nick Inkster, CEO SSP WEMEAP.
CNN Traveller café, operated by SSP, gives visitors a comprehensive CNN experience including: CNN International broadcast in HD on a number of screens, with integrated audio system for each table; curated online, social and visual CNN content displayed on a media wall comprising four state-of-the-art Samsung digital signages; latest news headlines in an RSS news ticker situated above the serving counter. The café offers customers a wide range of food and beverages in CNN Traveller-branded packaging and crockery. Items on the menu include local specialties such as fatoush or taboule salad as well as a selection of open sandwiches, breakfast and all-day sandwiches and wraps. Customers also have access to free Wi-Fi.
Mohammed Mubarak Al Mazrouei, Board Member of Abu Dhabi Airports, said: “At Abu Dhabi Airports we are always on the lookout to partner with innovative companies like SSP to bring leading concepts to our airports. This direction is in line with our continuous commitment to provide passengers with world-class services and sensational experiences each time they travel through any of our airports. CNN Traveller café is the first CNN-branded news inspired café in any airport in the world and Abu Dhabi International Airport presents an ideal location as it poses as one of the fastest growing global aviation hubs connecting regions across the world.”
In the first 10 months of 2014, Abu Dhabi International Airport saw 16.5 million passengers pass through its terminals, 8.5 million of which were through Terminal 3, and registered 20.5% increase in passenger movements compared to the same period in 2013.
“This is echoed in the preparation for the iconic Midfield Terminal Building’s (MTB) 28,000 square meter commercial space currently under construction, where some of the most creative retail, food & beverage, and hospitality concepts from around the world will be housed. The MTB will also incorporate the very latest designs and systems in all aspects of its operations.” H.E. added.
“We are excited to be launching the world’s first CNN Traveller cafe as part of an expansive consumer engagement initiative,” said Rani R. Raad, Chief Commercial Officer, CNN International. “The CNN Traveller experience is another way for business and leisure travellers to connect with CNN, the world’s number one news brand which engages with more consumers globally on multiple platforms than anyone else. We’re delighted that Abu Dhabi is the location for our first airport cafe as this is one of CNN’s major global production, newsgathering and commercial hubs.”
Kate Swann, CEO of SSP said; “We’re delighted to be partnering with the world leading media brand CNN and with Abu Dhabi International Airport to introduce this highly innovative new concept. The café is ideally suited to the unique passenger demographic at the airport, and we are certain that it will be very popular with both local and international travellers.
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About Abu Dhabi Airports:
Abu Dhabi Airports is a public joint-stock company wholly owned by the Abu Dhabi Government. It was incorporated by Amiri Decree number 5, issued on 4 March 2006, to spearhead the development of the Emirate’s aviation infrastructure. In September 2006, Abu Dhabi Airports assumed responsibility for the operation and management of Abu Dhabi and Al Ain International Airports. In 2008, Abu Dhabi Airports added Al Bateen Executive Airport (an exclusive business aviation airport), as well as Sir Bani Yas and Delma Island Airports to its portfolio. These airports are geared to serve the various segments of air travelers, the aviation marketplace, and will help contribute to Abu Dhabi’s development as a destination for both business and leisure tourism.
Currently under way is the multi-billion dollar re-development and expansion of Abu Dhabi International Airport designed to increase the overall capacity of the airport to more than 40 million passengers per year. As part of this redevelopment, a second runway and a third terminal have been completed.
About CNN International
CNN’s portfolio of news and information services is available in five different languages across all major TV, internet and mobile platforms reaching more than 380 million households around the globe. CNN International, awarded “News Channel of the Year” by the Royal Television Society in 2013 and 2014, is the number one international TV news channel according to all major media surveys across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, the Asia Pacific region and Latin America. The CNN digital network is consistently one of the top news and current affairs destination on the web. CNN has 42 editorial offices and more than 1,100 affiliates worldwide through CNN Newsource. CNN International is part of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner company.
About SSP
SSP is 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. With a heritage stretching back over 60 years, today SSP has nearly 30,000 employees, serving approximately a million customers every day. It has business at circa 130 airports and circa 270 rail stations, and operates approximately 2,000 units in 29 countries around the world.
SSP operates an extensive portfolio of approximately 300 international, national, local and speciality brands. These include Upper Crust, Starbucks, Caffè Ritazza, Burger King, M&S Simply Food, Millie’s Cookies, O’Learys, Caviar House & Prunier, and leading Asian brands Ajisen Ramen and Saboten, as well as stunning bespoke concepts such as the Montreux Jazz Café in Geneva and the award winning Center Bar at Zurich.
The Group’s shares were admitted to the London Stock Exchange’s main market for listed securities on 15 July 2014.
For more information, please contact:
Dan Faulks, Director, Communications, CNN Europe, Middle East & Africa
Tel: + 44 20 76931362