Xi’an Airport wins 2016 FAB Award for gastronomy

FRANKFURT, Germany – Xi’an Xianyang International Airport has won the 2016 FAB Award in the category “Best Airport for Food and Beverage Facilities Reflecting Sense of Place” – which was prese

FRANKFURT, Germany – Xi’an Xianyang International Airport has won the 2016 FAB Award in the category “Best Airport for Food and Beverage Facilities Reflecting Sense of Place” – which was presented at the recent annual Airport Food and Beverage (FAB) Conference & Awards by The Moodie Davitt Report industry publication.


Accepting the honor in Geneva, Wolfgang Weil, chief operations officer and member of the board of Xi’an Xianyang International Airport Co. Ltd., said: “We are pleased to win this prestigious award which confirms our success in creating a unique sense of place in the commercial areas of our terminals, especially the restaurants and food streets. Our goal has been to achieve a harmonious balance between operational requirements and innovative sense-of-place concepts. This is the second major international award for Xi’an Airport in 2016 – underscoring how one of Asia’s fastest growing airports has been transformed since Fraport became involved in this successful Sino-German aviation joint venture.”

One of XIY’s most popular food and beverage areas is the Shaanxi Famous Snacks Food Alley, a concept recreating the ancient streets of Xi’an with local and regional food sold from counters in a food-street setting. The seating area features traditional furniture and the entire design utilizes local materials, colors and shapes. Even the walls with tiles resemble the downtown food street. Air conditioning units have been cleverly hidden behind ancient-style walls to add to the charm and atmosphere of the Food Alley.

Xi’an was once China’s first ancient imperial capital and the eastern terminus of the famous Silk Road trading route. Today, the history and culture of the Silk Road is reflected at the Caravanserai coffee shop, which has been perfectly integrated in the international pier of Xi’an Xianyang International Airport. The Caravanserai coffee shop symbolizes a stop between Xi’an in the East (represented by XIY’s central commercial area) and the Silk Road destinations in the West (represented by the airport boarding gates). The word “caravanserai” refers to a stop for travelers on their journey to places around the world, like the traditional rest stops for caravans. For example, the walls of the coffee shop are decorated with sand material, a display of camels and caravans walking across dunes, and a map of the historic Silk Road with place names.

Wolfgang Weil added: “We are dedicated to making Xi’an Airport more than an efficient transportation junction serving more than 33 million passengers annually. We also want be a leading aviation gateway with a special sense of place that creates an exceptional customer experience.”

Fraport holds a 24.5 percent stake in the Xi’an Xianyang International Airport Co., Ltd. joint venture, which is responsible for operational optimization of the airport’s infrastructure (e.g., passenger terminals and commercial development). In 2015, Xi’an Airport (XIY) reached the 33 million passenger mark and ranked eighth in China. In March of this year, XIY won the Skytrax award as “Best Regional Airport in China.”



A city of some eight million people (region of almost 15 million), Xi’an is considered the space and aviation capital of China, as well as a leading technology and educational hub. The Xi’an mega-region has also become one of China’s major international tourist destinations – boasting such historic treasures as the Terracotta Army (UNESCO World Heritage Site) and China’s largest and fully-intact ancient city walls enclosing the Old town. Visit XIY on the Internet.

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Linda Hohnholz

Editor in chief for eTurboNews based in the eTN HQ.

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