Dubai Airport CEO Shares How Airports Have Been Taking Cues From the Hospitality Business

24.02.2024 - 15:51 / travelandleisure.com / Richard Branson / Louis Vuitton

Paul Griffiths is in the hospitality business. Only, he’s not a hotelier or restaurateur. He’s the CEO of Dubai Airports.

While many travelers may dread time in an airport, Griffiths doesn’t see the airport as simply a utilitarian necessity for getting from Point A to Point B. Instead, he sees it as an opportunity to impress, and even delight travelers, in the same way a luxury hotel would. 

“Most people in the airport business think they're managing infrastructure… I think we're in the hospitality business. We're there to make people happy,” Griffiths told Travel + Leisure during last year’s World Travel & Tourism Council Summit. “And we use technology, customer service training, careful people selection, and infrastructure that's designed to fit the purpose to deliver that. And I think it's been pretty successful.”

(Dubai Airports is parent company to Dubai World Central — Al Maktoum International Airport and Dubai International Airport)

Courtesy of Dubai Airports

To that end, Griffiths — whose Dubai Airports is parent company to Dubai World Central — Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC) and Dubai International Airport (DXB) — has previously worked with Richard Branson at the Virgin Group and worked as the managing director of London Gatwick Airport. In his experience, he's specifically focused on things like hiring and training employees.

“We want to make sure they feel they're in the hospitality business where they are there to welcome customers, reassure them, give them information that they need in a very timely and efficient manner,” he said. “It’s both behind [the scenes] and in front of the house.”

Like many large international airports around the world, DXB offers everything from the chance to buy duty-free liquor and makeup to high-end designer wares, including Gucci, Chanel, Hermes, Tiffany & Co., and more. Have more time to kill? Try one of the spas for a quick pick-me-up. 

In fact, that’s similar to other major hubs like Singapore Changi Airport, which famously excites passengers with the Jewel, a glass complex featuring an indoor waterfall, a terraced tropical garden, and more; and Qatar’s Hamad International Airport with its Tom Otterness-designed whimsical playground and exclusive new Louis Vuitton restaurant and lounge.

Courtesy of Singapore Changi Airport

Griffiths said Dubai is competing with those other hubs for customers, to convince travelers to pick a route that flies through their city. Last year, Dubai International Airport saw about 87 million travelers pass through its terminals, surpassing even pre-pandemic traffic levels.

“The airports of the world really needed to reorientate themselves around what's really important. And if the airlines are spending billions collectively