Page 20 - Tropic Magazine Issue 13

INDUSTRY • TRAVEL

Sense of place
and taste

Visitors to Cairns Airport are
experiencing a sense of place
before they even venture from
the terminal.
A recent survey of passengers through Fresh food and beverage offerings
Cairns Airport revealed a desire by at the airport already include local
travellers hoping to extend their gourmet pies, pastries, and fine local
experience through food, beverage coffees, regional teas, craft beers,
and retail products that showcase locally distilled gin, hand-made
the best the region has to offer. The confectionery and honey. “We want to
survey of around 3000 visitors found tell the stories of our local producers
20% of respondents wanted to see across our food and beverage
local products and stores that reflected operators, supporting all that is unique
the uniqueness of the Tropical North about the region and the wonderful
experience. Travellers also expressed local food offerings we have in our
a desire to sample local produce as the region,” Ms Groves said. “The Airport
importance of food continues to top wants to support our local farmers,
‘must-do’ lists. producers and fresh food suppliers and
Following consideration of the survey ensure their world-class products are
results, Cairns Airport completed available for visitors from around the
a review of its food and beverage world.”
offerings and launched a collaboration
with retailers and producers across the
region to best respond to the wishes Grounds for a cause
of travellers. The collaboration was
sparked by the airport who embarked With approximately 4000 coffees sold coffee grinds diverted so far, resulting in
on a local produce and product finding in Cairns Airport’s domestic terminal an estimated greenhouse gas emission
mission with Taste of Paradise, in each month, the growing awareness saving of 428.53kg CO2-e. In more good
conjunction with Tourism Tropical of single-use coffee cups is now news for the environment, the majority of
North Queensland. being addressed. The Coffee Grinds retail tenants at the domestic terminal
“As a result of this journey, a for Gardens project aims to reduce have now swapped plastic-lined cups
comprehensive catalogue was produced the Airport’s waste footprint and for compostable alternatives. The
to identify the various local products improve environmental outcomes Airport is moving to reduce single-use
in food and beverage, cosmetics, for the community by re-purposing waste products that may never have
souvenirs, jewellery, accessories used coffee grinds and disposable the chance to be composted, with
and portable homewares,” Chief coffee cups. Cairns Airport is keen to customers in the domestic terminal
Commercial Officer - Retail, Transport expand the program of used coffee encouraged to return used coffee cups
and Property Tracey Groves said. grinds separated by coffee retailers to be re-purposed as seedling pots. The
“The ‘Sense of Taste and Sense of Place’ and stored in purpose-specific waste cups are collected, cleaned, punctured
concept will be rolled out through bins provided by the airport, with and donated to rainforest restoration
the recently announced T2 Domestic the contents transported to local nurseries and community gardens. To
Reconfiguration project, with future organisations such as rainforest date, approximately 400 cups have been
produce offerings in both the domestic restoration groups, native plant re-purposed as seedling pots, half of
and international terminals reflecting nurseries, community and school which were used by Rainforest Rescue
our local environment and culture. All gardens. for Ulysses Butterfly Vine seedlings to
of our retailers are being encouraged to Cairns Airport works with these be distributed in the Cairns community.
source local suppliers and producers, groups to increase awareness and As a major economic driver of our region,
particularly in the fresh food and education on the use of the grinds as Cairns Airport hopes its actions will
beverage category.” a beneficial compost product, mulch influence businesses and the wider
and soil enhancer. The diversion of the community.
grinds from landfill has reduced the
airport’s greenhouse gas emissions, MORE: cairnsairport.com.au
with approximately 800kg of used

20 • Tropic • Issue 14