Miami Airport Concession, LLC recently announced a new contract with Miami International Airport (MIA) that calls for a comprehensive overhaul of the airport’s advertising program.

As part of the 10-year agreement, which is effective immediately, Miami Airport Concession will introduce a new advertising initiative within Miami International Airport that will focus on providing affordable advertising vehicles for local businesses that can benefit from greater access to vibrant visual displays and reaching a unique base of high net worth consumers: air travelers to Miami.

The Company will install new technologies throughout the terminal, including interactive kiosks and large-screen LCD displays. These platforms promise to engage passengers with a wealth of information about their destination area, from tourist attractions and activities to hotel, transportation, retail, dining, and entertainment options. Miami Airport Concession is also mounting 70-inch LCD displays throughout the baggage claim area, with the highest concentration at international arrivals. The Company will also replace existing phone boards with interactive touch screen kiosks.

The new advertising programme is already proving popular with regional businesses. Thirty companies and organisations have committed to Miami Airport Concession advertising programs, including local favourites: the Miami Seaquarium, zoological park Monkey Jungle, and mobile communications device marketer and distributor Grupo Akkar.

“As our capital improvement programme draws to completion, we look forward to the continued modernisation of Miami International Airport by Miami Airport Concession,” said Miguel Southwell, Miami-Dade Aviation Department Deputy Director for Business Retention and Development. “With the installation of new advertising technology throughout our terminal that also provides affordable options for local organizations, we expect this partnership will help us better connect our passengers to all that Miami-Dade County has to offer.”

Miami International Airport is the primary airport serving South Florida and is the twelfth busiest airport in the United States, transporting more than 38 million passengers annually. The airport is also the second busiest airport in the United States for international passengers and the largest U.S. gateway for Latin America and the Caribbean. The airport’s high use, coupled with the affluent demographic it serves, makes it a particularly enticing venue for local and national advertisers.

As part of a multi-year development programme, Miami International Airport also has plans to introduce a new international arrival area in 2012 that will double the capacity of the airport’s primary arrivals hall. The additional capacity is significant because it will reduce congestion, increase efficiency and position the airport for future growth — not only in terms of passenger volume, but in terms of additional advertising opportunities.

However, travellers to Miami should be prepared for significant wait times at immigration until it is opened. It is recommended that passengers who can be flexible with their plans, particularly travellers who do not hold a Canadian or US passport, take the morning flights from the Cayman Islands to Miami. Whenever possible, people should try to avoid the peak travelling days of Friday through Monday.

When booking a connecting flight, passengers should allow for three hours between landing and subsequent takeoff as people have to be cleared through security in the main terminal in order to get to their departure gate. There is no transit lounge available at the airport. All passengers also must go through immigration and customs regardless of final destination.