AMERICAS. The International Association of Airport Duty Free Stores (IAADFS), the Frontier Duty Free Association (FDFA) and South American duty free association ASUTIL are exploring closer collaboration on – and possibly even co-location of – their key annual events, though no formal agreement has been reached.
IAADFS runs the Duty Free Show of the Americas exhibition in Orlando in March/April each year, ASUTIL hosts an annual conference in early June in Latin America, while FDFA has its own convention in Canada in November.
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“We continue to talk about how we can combine our activities and make doing business in the Americas more cost-effective for suppliers.“ |
Michael Payne President & CEO IAADFS |
Amid a tough market for the business in the Americas, some suppliers and retailers have questioned the value of multiple events serving the region.
Elements such as show venues, timing and content are on the table, we understand, though any major changes, if agreed, are more likely to take place in 2018 rather than next year.
At the annual ASUTIL event in June this year, Secretary General José Luis Donagaray suggested closer cooperation with IAADFS in future, including the possibility of a joint conference. He said that discussions were continuing though no outcomes had been agreed.
IAADFS President & CEO Michael Payne told The Moodie Davitt Report: “We have had preliminary conversations about making more of the synergies between the events in the region but there is nothing official yet.
“We continue to talk about how we can combine our activities and make doing business in the Americas more cost-effective for suppliers, as well as bringing together the educational (conference) side of what we each do, and the exhibition side.
“Certainly from an IAADFS viewpoint there is an effort to see what we can achieve, and I think that everyone recognises there is an opportunity.
“We recognise the need to strengthen the IAADFS show. The industry is changing, and consolidation is playing a big role on the retailers’ side. We have to react and adapt.”
FDFA Executive Director Laurie Karson said the association had recently embarked on its latest strategic review, which is expected to be completed around six months from now.
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“How can we create efficiencies for buyers through workshops or educational sessions?“ |
Laurie Karson Executive Director Frontier Duty Free Association |
“We need to reflect the changing environment around and within our industry. Our show has been a success over many years but like any other event it needs to be reviewed and updated.
“Questions for us are how we can create efficiencies for buyers, through workshops or educational sessions? How do we satisfy the needs of attendees from the Canadian liquor boards who visit us, as well as our own Canadian suppliers, who form a different audience to the other shows? Are there synergies between our show and the others, or are there other areas where we can support each other?
“Our review will examine those questions. But we are clear that we support our association partners who, like us, are looking to reflect the needs of regional and international visitors. We are having those conversations and we would want out input into any collective move forward.”
She added: “We have just begun our strategic review and that will take us into next year. If we find agreement by then we could put in place some changes in 2017 but 2018 would be a more likely timetable for any wholesale change.”
