Welcome Message
As the Virtual Travel Retail Expo 2021 begins, we welcome visitors and partners, and outline what you can expect from the experience.
LEAD: ‘View From The Top’
In 2020 China Duty Free Group (CDFG) became the world’s number one travel retailer by sales according to The Moodie Davitt Report Top 25 Travel Retailers ranking. At a time when most of the travel retail world has been in freefall, CDFG has been prospering, investing and innovating, driven by its dominant presence in Hainan’s booming offshore duty free sector. President Charles Chen will deliver a powerful overview of the company’s ambitions and plans for 2022 and beyond.
SPECIAL ADDRESS: Hainan IEDB is the proud sponsor of the Hainan Discovery zone at the Virtual Travel Retail Expo.
Hainan IEDB is an agency established by the Hainan government in April 2019, whose mission is to build Hainan as a Free Trade Port in all respects with distinctive Chinese features. Hainan’s burgeoning offshore duty free sector forms a key element of that development programme.
In May IEDB organised the hugely successful China International Consumer Products Expo (Hainan Expo), which saw 1,505 companies attend with 2,628 brands on show. The event drew over 240,000 visitors including 30,000 buyers. The event will be repeated annually with 2022 dates to be revealed at the Virtual Travel Retail Expo.
LEAD: ‘Maintaining Commitment to Travel Retail’
Since assuming leadership in December 2013 of Japan’s most powerful beauty group, Masahiko Uotani has driven a remarkable rejuvenation and modernisation of a once ultra traditional group. Part of that revitalisation has centred on travel retail, leading to the creation of a dedicated division in 2016 that has performed strongly since. Despite the global pandemic and its impact on international travel, Uotani-San and Shiseido have remained deeply committed to travel retail. In this one-to-one interview, he will explain why.
INSPIRE: ‘Standing Up for the Displaced’
A former Kenyan long-distance track and road runner, who holds the world records for 25 and 30 kilometres, Tegla Loroupe is a global spokeswoman for peace, women’s rights and education. In this special conversation with Martin Moodie, Tegla shares her story, career highlights, ambitions and the driving force that inspires her to bring positive change to the world.
INSPIRE: ‘Turning Crisis into Opportunity’
The past 19 months has been the most traumatic in travel retail history. But it has also offered an incredible opportunity for all travel retail stakeholders to transform their own businesses and the wider sector for when customers return, the DFS Chairman & CEO contends. Benjamin Vuchot will talk about what DFS and the wider industry must do to meet the heightened expectations that customers will bring, and how the case for change has never been stronger or more urgent than it is today.
TRANSFORM: ‘Envisioning the Airport Experience of the Future – A Consumer-Centric View’
Airport Dimensions is a global leader in delivering airport lounges and traveller experiences. This session, leveraging consumer research especially commissioned for the Virtual Travel Retail Expo, will focus on understanding traveller needs, demands and aspirations for the airport experience of the future.
TRANSFORM: ‘View From The Top’
His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker is among the most inspirational figures in world aviation. Besides his leadership of Qatar Airways, Hamad International Airport and Qatar Duty Free, His Excellency is also Chairman of oneworld Alliance; Secretary-General of Qatar National Tourism Council; a non-executive director of Heathrow Airport Holdings; and a member of the Board of Governors of the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
THE QDF FACTOR: The Finalists Revealed
Who will win The QDF Factor 2021 and receive a complimentary six-month listing within the expansion at Hamad International Airport when it opens in 2022, plus a six-month US$50k advertising campaign with The Moodie Davitt Report?
SPECIAL SESSION: The latest edition in the acclaimed collaborative webinar programme run by The Asia Pacific Travel Retail Association (APTRA) and The Moodie Davitt Report, this special session concludes APTRA’s acclaimed APAC Dialogue series that has run so successfully throughout 2021. Hosted by APTRA President Sunil Tuli, it will feature top-name speakers drawn from across the industry spectrum.
The session will kick off with an overview of market prospects and key challenges by APTRA President Sunil Tuli. He will be followed by Lagardère Travel Retail North Asia CEO Eudes Fabre in a dialogue with The Moodie Davitt Report Chairman Martin Moodie. Fabre will address:
* Duty free in China: diversification and digitalisation
* Beyond duty free: travel retail in domestic airports and high-speed rail
This promises to be a fascinating session, especially given Lagardère Travel Retail’s recent tie-up with Chinese ecommerce giant JD.com in China.
Next up, a panel of esteemed speakers will examine market prospects for travel retail in Australia and New Zealand – two countries hit hard by their respective governments’ hard-line stance on border closures. Heinemann Australia Managing Director Richard Goodman, who is also Chairman of the Board at the Australian Duty Free Association, will be joined by Lucy Thomas, Head of Retail at Auckland Airport; Susan Gray, Managing Director of Concession Planning International; and Ivo Favotto, Founder & CEO of leading sector research and analysis company The Mercurius Group.
Ivo Favotto will then lead off what promises to be a fascinating concluding session that will examine the methodology behind – and question marks over – much travel retail industry research, both consumer and B2B. He will be joined by one of Australia’s foremost research providers, Neil Stollznow, Quantitative Director of StollzNow Research & Insights Advisory.
LEAD: ‘Fast Forward Once More for Dubai Duty Free’
Colm McLoughlin is the modern-day statesman of the global travel retail industry. Since starting his career with Aer Rianta at the birthplace of duty free, Shannon Airport in Ireland, he has become synonymous with the Dubai Duty Free story, which he initiated in 1983. For years, Dubai Duty Free has been the world’s largest single retailer airport duty free location and while the pandemic has hit revenue hard, so is a recovery well under way. Colm will address the lessons of crisis and how the future looks for this world-leading travel retailer.
SPECIAL SESSION: ‘Tackling the Realities of Doing Business in Hainan’
Rob Robertson is one of the most-respected executives in China’s beauty and travel retail sectors. Earlier this year his company Star Brands Asia, together with partner Bluebell, formed a specialist enterprise (Star Brands Travel Retail) to service Hainan’s fast-evolving offshore duty free sector. Few executives know more about the reality of what’s actually happening on the ground than Rob Robertson, who will talk about how to address the challenges and opportunities in Hainan.
TRANSFORM: ‘The Trinity Initiative and the Digitalisation Dynamic’
A key follow-up to the Trinity White Paper written by Mauro and Jack and published earlier this year in association with The Moodie Davitt Report. Among other findings, it said that travel retailers needed to embrace digitalisation (CRM, data-enabled commercial decision making, omnichannel focus etc.) to a much greater degree, all customised for travel retail.
Marc-André will double click on this, see what it means in practice and how such a vision can be reached. He will also cite an example of how one leading global domestic retailer has achieved this.
INSPIRE: ‘Redressing the Workplace Imbalance’
Women in Travel Thrive (WITT) was established by a network of like-minded friends and associates in the travel industry who became deeply concerned about the disproportionate impact the pandemic was having on women and their careers. WITT was created to help reduce and redress that impact.
SPECIAL SESSION: ‘Long Term Vision Over Short Term Reaction’
Alexandre Ricard has long believed in the value of travel retail, a channel he describes as a “must win”. How has the pandemic shaped that thinking and where is the French drinks giant headed next?
SPECIAL SESSION: ‘New Markets, New Opportunities: What Does The Future Hold?’
With the travel retail sector turned on its head as aeroplanes were grounded and tough travel bans put in place, the pandemic has pushed for a new approach to business, one that is more data-driven. In this session, Juan Gomez, Insights Expert at ForwardKeys, will discuss what new markets and opportunities lay on the horizon as long-haul travel starts to reactivate.
TRANSFORM: ‘Leading Vietnam Out of Crisis into a New Age of Opportunity’
After winning wide plaudits for its early success in combating the COVID-19 pandemic, Vietnam has been hit tremendously hard through much of 2021, devastating the country’s all-important tourism industry.
Phillip Nguyễn, son of a great pioneer of Vietnam’s travel retail, tourism and aviation sectors, Johnathan Hanh Nguyen, will lead a critical discussion on how this vibrant emergent market, investment-friendly and replete with magnificent natural tourist attractions can emerge from darkness into a golden age of prosperity.
INSPIRE: ‘Finding the Keys to Unlocking a Prosperous Travel Retail Future’
Michael Schriver is one of the most knowledgeable and respected voices in Asia’s luxury retail sector and as a former President Worldwide Store Operations and Chief Operating Officer at DFS Group, an expert on travel retail. Michael holds strong views on how the channel must develop in the future, including a rethink of many attitudes and practices.
TRANSFORM: ‘Pinpointing the New Drivers of Growth’
In a key session Stewart Dryburgh will address what one of the world’s most powerful brand companies sees as the key drivers to a brighter and better travel retail industry future.
SPECIAL SESSION: #CHANGEDESTINY
This powerful session will explore how one of the world’s most powerful skincare brands has sought meaningful ways to connect with its consumers in a fast-changing world while staying true to the brand purpose #CHANGEDESTINY—Skin, Life and Planet. Markus Strobel will argue that the pandemic has set the bar higher for storytelling and authenticity – both key to resonating with the contemporary consumer. The crisis has also prompted a tremendously rapid evolution of retail formats. How is that transformation playing out and what are its repercussions for travel retail? And why does Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance matter more than ever.
LEAD: ‘Redrawing a Vibrant Travel Retail Business’
How has the UK’s leading airport evolved its consumer offer post-pandemic and post-Brexit? One of the airport world’s most astute commercial executives will consider the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.
LEAD: ‘Driving Travel Retail’s Drinks Category Towards a Better, More Sustainable Future’
Diageo Greater China & Asia Pacific President Sam Fischer in conversation with Martin Moodie about the keys to travel retail in a reshaped world.
CRUISE SESSION: ‘Towards a New Experience in Cruise Retail & Hospitality’
CNN International Global Commercial Distribution Director Rachelle Peterson assesses the impact of COVID-19 on the traveller mindset, what the cruise guest will expect from the new travel experience, and what will make the best cruise, travel & hospitality brands stand out in this new era.
CRUISE SESSION: ‘Resilience and Renewal as the Cruise Business Returns’
Senior figures from the cruise retail sector discuss the path to recovery of a hard-hit channel. That talk about earning the trust of travellers, new consumer demand and key dynamics that will influence the market as ships return to the water. Featuring executives from MSC Cruises, Starboard Cruise Services and Harding.
INSPIRE: ‘Putting Sustainability, Diversity and Inclusion at the Top of the Corporate Agenda’
A key session at this year’s Expo featuring two business leaders from one of the world’s leading drinks companies, Beam Suntory. The company has stepped up its commitment to what it sees as key Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance principles and both speakers will outline why such a corporate agenda matters more than ever. The session will hear from Kim Marotta speaking on ‘Commitment and Collaboration to Become Climate Positive ‘ and ‘The Power of the Collective in Driving Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion’ presented by Victoria Russell.
SPECIAL SESSION:
A pioneering 90-minute open Q&A session between retailer and supplier community led by Dufry CEO Julián Diaz and Chief Commercial Officer Andrea Belardini in conversation with Martin Moodie, supported by members of Dufry’s Global Executive Committee who will take questions as appropriate.
Please note: Access to this session is by prior invite only.
TRANSFORM: ‘New Formulas, New Thinking, New Platforms’
Ray Gaul:
‘The Contactless Paradox in Travel Retail’
Cashierless stores are a scalable reality in today’s travel retail sector with Amazon’s ‘Just Walk Out’ technology, among others to the fore. In this session, Retail Cities will present some future retail scenarios using examples including those provided by Trigo, a cashierless store solution provider; the StoreLab, a virtual reality retail solution provider; Long time and Brain Propaganda, a neuromarketing science team. The core question we all need to answer: How do we keep humanity at the heart of travel retail?
Heidi Köpple & Max Berger:
‘Path to Progress – The New Shopping Journey’
In June Zürich Airport and Highsnobiety announced the launch of Highsnobiety GATEZERO, described as a first of its kind luxury retail and multi-channel hub designed to bring back the excitement of travel retail.
Chris Pok:
‘Taking Flight – As an Omnichannel Retailer’
INSPIRE: ‘From Insights to Actions, Shaping the Future of Retail’
A panel discussion on how Pernod Ricard is leading the way with consumer insights and providing shoppers with interactive, innovative and sustainable shopping experiences featuring:
• Anuj Roy, Insights Director, Pernod Ricard Global Travel Retail
• Simon van Moppes, General Manager, Pernod Ricard Travel Retail Asia Pacific
• Vanessa Wright, Chief Sustainability Officer, Pernod Ricard
• Daniel Worboys, Head of Retail Design, Pernod Ricard Global Travel Retail
• Simon Evans, Sustainability Director, PIE Factory
LEAD: ‘Shaping a New Future’
ARI Chief Executive Ray Hernan discusses the evolution of the industry post-pandemic and assesses what the company is doing to show leadership and to face the challenges confronting the industry.
SPECIAL SESSION: The annual Airport Food & Beverage (FAB) Conference & Awards has been a highlight of the industry calendar since 2011 but had to be suspended in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This year FAB makes a welcome, albeit virtual return, with a timely one day session focused on how the sector has been reshaped by the pandemic and how it needs to respond in a changed world.
The day will culminate in powerful fashion with the first-ever FAB Superstars Awards, shining the spotlight on the thousands of front-of-house and behind the scenes heroes and heroines who have helped keep the travel food & beverage industry going throughout the pandemic.
AWARDS: The first edition of an annual awards for travel retail employees across airport, airline, downtown store and cruise sectors reaches its crescendo. The awards have placed an overdue spotlight on those frontline and behind the scenes heroes and heroines who have helped kept our industry going throughout the most profound and sustained crisis it has ever faced.
THE QDF FACTOR – The Big Reveal
The waiting is over as Qatar Duty Free Vice President Operations Thabet Musleh reveals the winner of The QDF Factor 2021, who will receive a complimentary six-month listing within the expansion at Hamad International Airport when it opens in 2022, plus a six-month US$50k advertising campaign with The Moodie Davitt Report? Big runners-up prizes will also be revealed.
AWARDS: The Moodies, the eighth edition of the prestigious annual awards that spotlight digital, social media and marketing excellence across the airport and travel sectors.
The Moodies Awards this year will again embrace the entire travel journey from booking through to end destination, including: travel agents; online booking sites; airlines; airports (including but not confined to shopping and dining); airport advertising; rail stations; train operators; ferries and cruiselines; hotels; tourist destinations and bureaus; and other travel-related operations.
AWARDS: The first virtual edition of the FAB Awards for employees in the food & beverage sector in the airport community and other travel-related sectors. These awards will shine the spotlight on the thousands of front-of-house and behind the scenes heroes and heroines who have helped keep the food & beverage community within our industry going throughout the pandemic.
*Speaker line-up subject to change