Erik Juul-Mortensen, TFWA President.
With just over one week to go before the first delegates arrive at TFWA World Exhibition & Conference, the global summit of the duty free and travel retail industry, more details on the event have been announced. A high number of delegates have already pre-registered for the event, and retailers and landlords from all over the world will be in attendance in Cannes.
Taking place from 09:00 to 11:45 on Monday 3rd October, TFWA World Conference boasts a strong line-up of speakers from across the globe. This year’s conference will provide delegates with the latest updates on key trends shaping duty free and travel retail, covering a range of thought-provoking topics including the Metaverse, adapting to the post-pandemic world and the effects of economic turbulence. Attendees will hear from TFWA President Erik Juul-Mortensen, leading economist and broadcaster, David McWilliams, Rituals founder and CEO, Raymond Cloosterman, and leading voice on Clubhouse and Metaverse expert, Swan Sit. The conference will later be available to watch on TFWA 365 for anyone who is unable to attend.
TFWA’s popular workshops also make a return, and delegates will have the opportunity to learn from insightful discussions on the future of the airport commercial business and the evolution of the passenger experience. The two sessions will be held in the new Hi5 studio on level 5 of the Palais des Festivals, on Tuesday 4th October (The Airport Forum) and Wednesday 5th October (Innovation in Action).
With a refreshed programme of social events there will be plenty of networking opportunities this year. Located on the Carlton Beach, the TFWA Lounge will return from Monday to Wednesday with two sessions each evening – ‘TFWA Lounge: after-work’ from 18:30 to 21:00 and ‘TFWA Lounge: night-time’ from 23:00 to 02:00. Visitors to Cannes will also be able to engage with the latest industry innovations at TFWA i.lab, sponsored by media partner BW Confidential. This year, TFWA i.lab will be positioned inside the Palais des Festivals and open during standard exhibition hours.
TFWA would also like to thank all supporters of this year’s event, including Qatar Duty Free, the main partner of TFWA Lounge, and TFWA Lounge sponsors Mondelez International, Santa Margherita, Heineken, Duty Free Global, Quintessential Brands Group, Perfetti van Melle, Bonne Maman and Brown-Forman.
“As the date for TFWA World Exhibition & Conference draws closer, excitement is definitely building. At a time when it has never been more important, the event will provide a first-rate opportunity to learn and network. Both exhibitor and attendee numbers are close to 2019 levels, testimony to the desire and commitment the industry possesses to see a return to full strength. We look forward to seeing you all in Cannes,” says Erik Juul-Mortensen, TFWA President
An outstanding number of leading retailers and brands have registered for the 2022 TFWA World Exhibition & Conference, and TFWA can now also confirm that the exhibition area stands at an impressive 90% of the floor space reserved at the pre-Covid event.
The following companies are among those to have pre-registered to attend the event this year: Dufry, Lagardère Travel Retail, Gebr Heinemann, DFS Group, China Duty Free Group, Lotte Duty Free, King Power International Group, The Shilla Duty Free, Shinsegae Duty Free, Aer Rianta International, Dubai Duty Free, Ever Rich Duty Free, NAA Retailing, JATCo, King Power Group (HK), 3Sixty Duty Free, Starboard Cruise Services, Tallink, Harding Bros and many more.
The recent lift of restrictions means that travellers entering France are no longer required to present proof of vaccination or a negative Covid-19 test, regardless of their country of origin.
With networking remaining the top priority for many industry colleagues, this year’s edition offers participants a plethora of social opportunities, including the TFWA Lounge, for which Qatar Duty Free has been confirmed as the main partner. The ‘TFWA Lounge: after-work session’ will take place on Carlton Beach from Monday to Wednesday between 18:30 and 21:00, and in addition to this, a new late night social gathering – ‘TFWA Lounge: night-time session’ – also hosted on Carlton Beach will run on the same days between 23:00 and 02:00.
“Both the scope of brands and quality of visitors that have confirmed their participation at the 2022 TFWA World Exhibition & Conference are a testimony to the business recovery acceleration. Bringing the world’s duty free and travel retail professionals together in person is crucial to drive our industry’s future. We, at TFWA, are confident that all those attending this year will feel the positive vibes. I would like to thank all partners involved in the preparation of this milestone TFWA World Exhibition & Conference edition,” points out Erik Juul-Mortensen, TFWA President.