How will the Port Polska (CPK) investment programme reshape modern travel standards?
The traditional model of airport retail, built largely around duty-free sales, is clearly evolving. Modern travel retail is increasingly becoming part of the broader travel experience, where a sense of place, technology and the local character of the offer are gaining importance. For the Port Polska investment programme, this creates an opportunity to design retail and services as part of an integrated Airport City ecosystem that responds to the needs of both air and high-speed rail passengers.
Global trends: airport retail as part of the travel experience
Today’s passengers seek a meaningful connection with a place, forcing operators to redefine existing retail formats.
Modern travel retail is underpinned by three pillars: a sense of place, phygital solutions and a well-designed service and F&B offering. Passengers expect distinctive design and local craftsmanship that create an emotional bond with the airport, even on a short-haul flight. Shops are becoming interactive, while AR technology and unmanned retail outlets help optimise time and enhance convenience,”
comments Michał Masztakowski, Head of Retail, Cushman & Wakefield.
With a well-curated tenant mix, dining and retail serve more than a complementary function. They are becoming a key driver of airport value, influencing both non-aeronautical revenues and the overall passenger experience. Data from Vienna Airport shows that premium-segment passengers (for example, those travelling on flights to Asia) spend, on average, 10 times more at the airport than those of low-cost airlines. To attract them, the offering must be unique and strongly rooted in the local context,”
explains Ewa Derlatka-Chilewicz, Head of Research, Cushman & Wakefield.
An accelerator of modern retail
Poland leads the way in CEE in terms of new supply of modern retail formats, accounting for nearly 60% of the region’s total retail stock. The new hub is likely to become a showcase of this scale and maturity in a new, international context. Retail, service and F&B functions within Airport City can support the development of a strong, multi-faceted economic ecosystem. Additionally, the project will be developed in line with ambitious ESG standards, which may also create opportunities to promote local suppliers and enable more efficient resource management,”
comments Katarzyna Lipka, Head of Strategic Consulting & ESG Advisory, Cushman & Wakefield.
About Cushman & Wakefield
Cushman & Wakefield (NYSE: CWK) is a leading global commercial real estate services firm for occupiers and investors with approximately 53,000 employees in over 350 offices and nearly 60 countries. In 2025, the firm reported revenue of $10.3 billion across its core service lines of Services, Leasing, Capital markets, and Valuation and other. Built around the belief that Better never settles, the firm receives numerous industry and business accolades for its award-winning culture. For additional information, visit www.cushmanwakefield.com.