At 2.0 & Partners, we are delighted to have launched the latest addition to our Academy business suite, the Airport Ambassador Academy.
Central to its creation was 2.0 & Partners, Senior Partner, Brand Scouting, Fashion, Luxury & Hospitality Management, Vittoria Passoni, who brought her background in the hospitality sector to the fore to help deliver the best possible training and insights for participants.
In this conversation with 2.0 & Partners Chief Content Officer Chris Madden, she outlines what delivering great hospitality truly means, and where travel retail is doing well, and falling short.
Hi Vittoria, to begin, please can you outline your background in hospitality and what it has taught you?
After graduating from Les Roches, International School of Hospitality Management in Switzerland, I had the opportunity to work in 5-star properties across several countries — including Doha, Barcelona, Dubai, and Milan.
I always say that hospitality is my first love. It truly shaped who I am today. It taught me how to connect with people from all over the world, how to solve problems calmly and quickly, and—most importantly—how to go above and beyond to exceed a guest’s expectations.
There’s no better feeling than knowing a guest is genuinely happy because of something you did. Often, it’s something small that costs nothing—but to them, it means everything. That’s the magic of true hospitality.
Do you think hospitality receives enough focus in travel retail today?
Not completely — but things are changing. From what I’ve seen, airports are starting to recognise the importance of making travellers feel truly valued, not just seeing them as people passing through on their way to somewhere else.
The key is shifting the mindset: the journey through the airport shouldn’t be the “necessary inconvenience” before the destination. It should be part of the experience — just as pleasant, memorable and stress-free as the rest of the trip.
The key is shifting the mindset: the journey through the airport shouldn’t be the “necessary inconvenience” before the destination
That’s where hospitality comes in. When airports invest in making travellers feel welcome, supported and understood, they turn transit into something meaningful.
For you, what are the marks of truly great hospitality?
It all starts with a sincere smile and a genuine care for people.
In the context of hospitality within travel retail, airports often face challenges that are beyond their control — delays, disruptions, operational issues. What makes the difference is how staff respond. It’s about empathy, communication, and the way we make travellers feel in those moments of uncertainty.
We may not always have the right answers — and sometimes, there simply aren’t any. But true hospitality shines through in the small gestures: a kind word, clear guidance, an offer of help when it’s least expected.
That’s what people remember. Not perfection, but humanity.
What are the biggest weaknesses and opportunities for improvement that you have seen in travel retail and the airport experience?
One of the main weaknesses I see is inconsistency. While some touchpoints within the airport offer outstanding service, especially in luxury environments, others can feel transactional or impersonal. There is often a sharp contrast between the high level of attention dedicated to premium experiences and the lack of warmth or engagement in more “everyday” areas.
But travellers experience the airport as a whole, not as isolated departments — so when even one area lacks care or support, the entire journey can feel compromised. This imbalance is a missed opportunity to make every traveller feel valued, regardless of where they shop or how much they spend.
There is often a sharp contrast between the high level of attention dedicated to premium experiences and the lack of warmth or engagement in more “everyday” areas of travel retail
Can you give any examples of great hospitality in travel retail?
Some of the best examples I’ve seen are simple but unforgettable. A sales assistant who offers to walk an unsure traveller to their gate after a purchase. A team member who anticipates a shopper’s needs before they’re even voiced. Or when airport staff celebrate special occasions — a birthday, a honeymoon — with a personal touch that turns a moment into a memory.
One moment I’ll never forget happened when I was living in Dubai and flying home 2–3 times a year. I wasn’t flying first class, I wasn’t even a frequent flyer — just a regular passenger with a normal economy ticket. I was in my early twenties, not a businesswoman or someone you’d expect to stand out. I could have been anyone, really. But one day, as I boarded an Emirates flight, the crew member looked at me and said: “Welcome back, Ms. Passoni. Let’s go home.”
I have no idea how she knew, or if she remembered me from a previous flight. But I still get goosebumps thinking about it. In that instant, I felt seen, cared for, and emotionally connected. And that, to me, is hospitality at its absolute best.
How important is it that every member of the team is focused on hospitality?
It’s absolutely essential. Hospitality isn’t a department — it’s a culture. Every member of the airport ecosystem plays a role in shaping the traveller’s experience.
If just one link in the chain is disconnected from that mindset, the overall impression suffers. On the other hand, when everyone: from operations, to retail, to cleaning staff, embraces the idea that travellers are guests, the airport becomes more than just a place of transit. It becomes a place of care, welcome, and human connection — exactly like a 5-star hotel property.
When everyone: from operations, to retail, to cleaning staff, embraces the idea that travellers are guests, the airport becomes more than just a place of transit
That shared mindset is at the heart of what we’re building with the Airport Ambassador Academy. Our hope is that more and more airports will recognise just how powerful this approach can be — and will join us in shaping teams that place human connection, care, and genuine hospitality at the centre of every traveller’s journey.
How can the Airport Ambassador Academy help?
The Airport Ambassador Academy is built on the belief that hospitality is everyone’s responsibility — from the check-in desk to security, from cleaning teams to retail staff. Every role has an impact on how a traveller feels, and every interaction can shape their journey.
I won’t give away too much — I wish you could experience it in person — but let’s just say this: we’re all travellers, and we’ve all faced moments of stress or confusion at the airport. What we remember most isn’t whether the problem got solved instantly, but how we were made to feel during it.
The Academy doesn’t teach how to solve operational issues — airports already know how to do that better than anyone. What we focus on is helping staff handle the human reaction to those situations. Whether a traveller is frustrated, confused, or simply in need of reassurance, the Academy equips teams with the emotional intelligence, empathy, and communication skills to turn even a difficult moment into a positive, memorable one.
The Academy doesn’t teach how to solve operational issues — airports already know how to do that better than anyone. What we focus on is helping staff handle the human reaction to those situations.