News

The TFWA Asia Pacific Hainan Special Edition event set an optimistic tone for the future of global duty free and travel retail, with leaders from across the business confirming their commitment to work collaboratively to expedite the industry’s recovery from the pandemic.

An impressive total of 1,683 individual delegates registered to the new TFWA 365 digital platform to view the online conference, workshops and various e-networking sessions taking place during the four-day event.

In his opening address, TFWA President Jaya Singh stated that the figures around the decline in international travel did not make for comfortable reading. However, all indications pointed to substantial pent-up demand for travel. “Bright spots” such as Hainan were also boosting trade, with the province seeing duty free turnover grow by an astonishing 356% in the first quarter of this year.

The virtual conference saw senior figures from across the industry explore pressing themes, including the force that is Hainan duty free and how it is holding the beacon of recovery. The regulatory changes required to kick-start recovery, the importance of digitalisation, the prospects for the luxury market and the shifting behaviour of the post-COVID consumer were other topics that were discussed in detail.

A lively series of e-networking sessions and live chat functionality enabled viewers to ask questions and hear further thoughts from some of the biggest names in duty free and travel retail. In addition, the TFWA ONE2ONE e-meeting service arranged 132 online meetings between 60 brands and sponsor companies and 32 buyer companies.

TFWA would like to thank all its sponsors and partners for supporting TFWA Asia Pacific Hainan Special Edition – organised in partnership with Asia Pacific Travel Retail Association (APTRA) and Main Partner China Duty Free Group – as well as the brands and members that exhibited digitally on the TFWA 365 platform. The event was also backed by Mondelez International as Diamond Partner; and Lagardère Travel Retail, Zhuhai Duty Free Group, Shenzhen Duty Free Group, CNSC, Alibaba Group affiliate Cainiao Smart Logistics Network, Duty Free Global and William Grant & Sons as Platinum Sponsors. The full list of sponsors can be viewed here: https://www.tfwa.com/tfwa-asia-pacific-hainan-special-edition/partners-sponsors-100011533.