APTRA signs up two new members as KPMG Insights Seminars series concludes

ASIA PACIFIC. Nearly 400 people attended the final three Asia Pacific Travel Retail Association (APTRA) KPMG Insights Seminars of 2017, with the association signing up two new members during the recent series. Japanese duty free retailer Blanc de Blancs and French design company Depack have joined APTRA in recent weeks, the latter as an Associate Member.

The APTRA Seminar in Seoul on 28 November was attended by around 25 airport, retailer and brand executives, and provided an overview of the Korean economy by KPMG.

At the Shanghai event the following day, which attracted a similar number of audience participants, taxation and regulatory issues for cross-border commerce in China were discussed.

The APTRA Hong Kong event attracted around 300 guests, and followed events on previous days in Seoul and Shanghai

A key element in both seminars was KPMG research on connected consumers and how to engage future consumers. This was presented by Anson Bailey, Head of Consumer Markets, ASPAC, KPMG China, under the title ‘Innovate or die’.

Separately m1nd-set Travel Retail Director Clara Perez presented findings on the behaviour of Chinese shoppers from Tier 1, 2 and 3 cities, and South Korean, Indian and Japanese shoppers. She also presented traffic forecasts for these four key markets and projections about where people will be travelling in the next 12 months in Asia Pacific and globally.

The Hong Kong event brought together participants from travel retail and the wider Hong Kong retail business through APTRA and KPMG

At the third APTRA event, in Hong Kong on 30 November, these presentations were couched within a ‘Holiday Season Update 2017’ event, co-organised by Retail Asia, APTRA and KPMG. This attracted around 300 people from the Hong Kong retail sector.

m1nd-set Travel Retail Director Clara Perez presented findings on the behaviour of Chinese, South Korean, Indian and Japanese shoppers

APTRA President Andrew Ford said: “APTRA’s partnership with KPMG on our annual events is, as ever, valuable and effective. The seminars bring new and relevant insights to our members and the diverse mix of companies in attendance open new doors and opportunities for APTRA members. There are significant advances being made in consumer communications for retailers across Asia and we are delighted to be playing an instrumental role in ensuring the duty free and travel retail channel is aware and connected.”

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