SOUTH AMERICA. George Sternberg, Latin America Duty Free Manager for Bacardi, was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award by South American Duty Free Association ASUTIL as last week’s conference in Santiago de Chile concluded.
The modest, popular Sternberg has served the region and his various companies from Seagram to Bacardi with distinction down the years and his recognition drew warm applause from delegates. “This is a big surprise,” he said.
“I started in this business when duty free was a collection of small shops selling whisky, perfume and cigarettes,” he added, noting the radical qualitative transformation in the channel in the intervening period.
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| George Sternberg (left) reacts with modesty and surprise to his richly-deserved Lifetime Achievement Award; (Right) The Moodie Report Publisher Martin Moodie with ASUTIL President Walter Zeinal | |
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The ASUTIL Gala Dinner was a splendid affair with Aldeasa hosting an evening of fine food, wine and dancing – including star turns from ASUTIL President Walter Zeinal (left) and Estée Lauder’s Israel Assa | |
The award brought a successful 10th event to a successful conclusion. Speaking moments earlier at the end of the conference, ASUTIL Vice President Enrique Urioste said that the association had been founded to protect the industry and to advance its professionalism. “We wanted to ensure that Latin America plays a key role in this travel retail world and I would say we have accomplished that. These 11 years of ASUTIL, and 10 years of conferences, have been in my view a total success.”
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| (Left) Haleybrooke International President Patrick Nilson ensured delegates got an Ultimat supply of vodka; (Right) Interbaires CEO Enrique Urioste with Yasmin Nelson of P&G Prestige Products and Milagros Ferradas of Outdoor Media Internacional | |
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The conference featured some outstanding presentations, including those from Aeropuerto Santiago de Chile General Manager Carlos Plass (left) and the colourful M&S Consultores Director Carlos Melconian | |
Few would question that view. In a region whose innate hallmark is volatility, ASUTIL and the duty free industry have made constant advances in recent years. The standard of airport retailing in the region has come on hugely in recent times, and several of its key players have been cast as industry pioneers in terms of concepts such as walkthrough stores (London Supply, Interbaires, Aldeasa), destination merchandise (Brasif), sophisticated Internet offerings (Interbaires, Brasif) and transparency of information sharing (Interbaires). This year’s conference, ably moderated in bi-lingual fashion by DFNI’s John Gallagher, was also one of the better regional events of the recent past.
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| The final panel session focused on how security issues were impacting retail since 10 August; (Right) After a pleasant Brasif-sponsored lunch delegates headed to the airport where they saw the latest walkthrough stores from Aldeasa – and a reminder of the security issue that faces the whole industry | |
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As outlined by M&S Consultores Director Carlos Melconian in his excellent economic overview, the region is enjoying a prolonged period of stability characterised by low inflation and robust GDP growth. As always there are challenges – notably the struggles of Brazilian carrier Varig, the recent terror alert and double-digit inflation in Argentina and Venezuela. But overall the last four years have seen the strongest GDP growth and the lowest inflation in the region for the past 25 years.
The region – and its travel retail industry – are truly passing the “sustainability test” noted by Melconian. “The risk of heart attack has lowered,” he commented colourfully.
The prognosis is actually better than that. Remember that just four years ago the region was still reeling from one of the biggest economic meltdowns in its history. The recovery since has been nothing short of astounding.
MORE STORIES ON ASUTIL 2006
Interbaires rewards customer loyalty – 12/09/06
Impact of security crisis easing but lessons to be learned say Americas industry leaders – 12/09/06
ASUTIL conference upbeat but plenty of challenges ahead – Day 1 report – 08/09/06
ASUTIL’s 10th conference swings into action in Santiago de Chile – 07/09/06
