News

With a strong number of delegates already pre-registered for the 2023 MEADFA Conference in Accra, Ghana, further details have been revealed on this year’s speakers and key topics. Managed by TFWA, the event will take place from the 19th to the 21st of November at the Kempinski Hotel Gold Coast City and will mark the first time this annual event has been hosted in West Africa.

MEADFA President Sherif Toulan will open the conference with a welcome address on Monday the 20th of November. The opening session will hear from Pamela Djamson-Tettey, Managing Director, Ghana Airports; Dina El Sherif, Commercial Development Director, Egyptian Airports Co; and Youssef Jroundi, Commercial Director, ONDA Morocco.

The morning will continue with comments from duty free and travel retail experts from across the region, including Keith Hunter, Partner, Hunter Palmer Global Retail Solutions, Abdeslam Azgoul, CEO Middle East and Africa, Dufry; and Nico Reifkogel, Director of Business Development, Gebr Heinemann.

Following this sessions will explore illicit trade and the post-Covid MEA traveller, with speakers including Rob Marriott, Chair of the MEADFA Advocacy Group; Roger Jackson, Managing Director, Organico Solutions; Milika Kalyati, Corporate Affairs and Communications Manager, JT International SA; Sarah Branquinho, President, Duty Free World Council; Stephen Hillam, Managing Director, Pi Insight and Christy Tawii, Research Manager for Sub-Saharan Africa, Euromonitor.

Day two will feature further sessions on charting the industry’s recovery and a focus on African shoppers. During these sessions, delegates will hear from Kojo Bentum Williams, Founder and Publisher, VoyagesAfriq Travel Media and Lead Communications, UNWTO Africa; Martina Bednarikova, Economist and Policy Analyst, IATA; Tourvest Retail Services CEO Clive Jones.

Later in the day, sustainability and innovation will be on the agenda, with Munif Mohammed, MEADFA’s Sustainability Lead and Lagardère Travel Retail CEO Saudi Arabia, Nicolas Bry, Innovation Booster, Orange Africa and Manuel Gonzalez, Global Marketing Director, Beam Suntory providing expert analysis and insights on these topics.

Alongside the extensive learning opportunities, delegates will also benefit from a packed social programme, which will include an opening cocktail on Sunday evening, Gala dinner on Monday night, and networking coffee and lunch breaks throughout the conference.

This year’s MEADFA Conference is hosted by Dufry, which has a significant presence in Africa with operations in several countries across the continent.

Additional sponsors of this year’s MEADFA Conference include Diamond Sponsors: Aphrodite Sarl (hosting the Welcome Cocktail), GN Tobacco Sweden AB, Imperial Brands Global Duty Free & Export S.L.U., Inter African Marketing International Duty Free Trading & Agencies (IDF) and Ghandour Cosmetics – Scent of Africa, Platinum Sponsors: Dubai Duty Free, Mondelēz World Travel Retail, Pernod Ricard Gulf and Hama Gulf, Gold Sponsors: Al Nassma Chocolate, Beam Suntory, Bahrain Duty Free, Benigna Parfums, Gebr. Heinemann SE & Co. KG, Heinemann Egypt, Muscat Duty Free, and Oriental Group, Coffee Break: Nestle and Lindt.

Also sponsoring the event are Altimex, Bloom, Energiser, Ixir, Liviko and Airline Partners Air France – KLM, with The Moodie Davitt Report, TR Business Limited, Global Travel Retail Magazine, DFNI-Frontier and Euromonitor International having been confirmed as Media Partners.

“The strong industry support and growing number of registrations reflect the interest for exploring the promising African market and staying up to date on developments in the Middle East.

“With a comprehensive agenda featuring distinguished speakers and thought-provoking sessions, we are confident that delegates will gain valuable knowledge and build meaningful connections. In Accra, we are not only brought together to learn and connect but also to celebrate the dynamics and excellence of the travel retail industry.

“Join us in Accra as we unite to shape the future of travel retail, embarking on a journey filled with opportunities for networking and growth.”

Sherif Toulan, MEADFA President

“With international passengers departing the Middle East and Africa set to reach 94% of 2019 levels this year, the MEADFA Conference will allow delegates to discover more about the vast opportunities in this dynamic region. With the event taking place in West Africa for the first time, the MEADFA Conference will provide the platform for the industry to connect and do business in a region with vast commercial potential. The MEADFA Conference remains a highlight in the duty free and travel retail calendar, and we are pleased to be partnering MEADFA in this event once again.”

Erik Juul-Mortensen, TFWA President