Dynamic and experiential: Virtual Expo Day 1 and 2 Experience Arena programme revealed

INTERNATIONAL. This year’s Virtual Travel Retail Expo (11-15 October) will feature 28 engagement sessions from 20 companies in the new-look Experience Arena, one of the event’s most exciting and engaging components.

Attendees can attend the sessions live or watch them ‘on demand’ at any point during the week or in the six-week, post-event ‘encore’ period that follows.

Visitor registration is open here. The event is run by The Moodie Davitt Report and FILTR.QINGWA, with co-organiser Hainan Provincial Bureau of International Economic Development. Registration is free for all exhibitors, travel retailers and other commercial operators, airport companies and other landlords. Others pay just US$250 for the whole experience. Group discounts are available (please contact Irene Revilla at Irene@MoodieDavittReport.com).

The Experience Arena programme features a diverse line-up of presentations across categories. Each presenting brand promises to wow Expo attendees with dynamic and interactive digital events. The Experience Arena will also host several virtual lounges for networking and serve as a platform to launch, promote and educate visitors about products and services through virtual masterclasses, tastings and live demonstrations.

Either pre-recorded or live, these 30-minute segments will be streamed to a global audience. Here, we present the full Experience Arena agenda for days 1 and 2 of the Virtual Travel Retail Expo.

[Here are just some of the highlights of the Experience Arena sessions from 11 to 15 October]

Day 1: 11 October, Monday

11:00 SGT | 3:00 GMT+1

The Hainan Development Holdings-owned GDF Plaza will present its core projects in Hainan during this opening Experience Arena session. These projects include the offshore duty free store business (GDF Plaza), onshore duty free and other projects in the South China Sea Pearl Island and spaces in Guoxing Avenue, Haikou (Global Consumer Boutique Expo Park).

The session will be led by Global Consumer Boutique (Hainan) Trading Co Vice President Casey Lim, who has more than 30 years of travel retail experience having worked with DFS, Sunrise Duty Free and CDF-Sunrise.

Wangfujing: Building a New Wangfujing Duty Free

14:00 SGT | 07:00 GMT +1

While powerful Chinese retailer Wangfujing Group is a relative newcomer to the travel retail sector, it is clearly intent on stamping its mark on the channel. In this session, Wangfujing Group will outline its strategy to build an exciting Wangfujing Duty Free operation based on a deep understanding of the Chinese consumer and strong support from the Beijing Government.

The illuminating session will be led by Wangfujing Group Vice President Grace Zeng and Wangfujing Duty Free Chief Operating Officer Cathay Sun. Ms Zeng has served as Deputy General Manager, Secretary of the Commission for Discipline Inspection and Member of the Party Committee of Wangfujing Group since 2013 and held several leadership roles in the company.

With a rich experience in prestige cosmetics, luxury business management and a deep understanding of the Asian market, Ms Sun joined Wangfujing Group as Chief Operating Officer in 2020. Earlier she spent ten years at P&G where she led a team of 700 staff.

Revolutionising Heated Tobacco – Presenting the NEW IQOS ILUMA

15:00 SGT | 08:00 GMT +1

Join Philip Morris International in a live presentation of the new IQOS ILUMA – the company’s latest heated tobacco device. The new IQOS ILUMA is packed with breakthrough induction technology that offers ‘next-level sensorial pleasure’. Equipped with the revolutionary Smartcore Induction System, the bladeless device heats tobacco within the stick, without burning it, to provide a better and more consistent experience with no tobacco residue.

The session will be led by Philip Morris International Innovation & Portfolio Project Leader Nicole Bauer and Head of Innovation and Portfolio Deployment Georges Chami.

Join Duty Free Global’s Travel Retail Future Tour

18:00 SGT/11:00 GMT+1

Barry Geoghegan, Founder of Duty Free Global, invites Expo attendees to join him on a whirlwind 360-degree tour of Duty Free Global’s travel retail future. Barry will explore how to engage, excite and delight a younger audience in the travel retail channel in this dynamic Experience Arena session.

Proximo: A Guided Tasting of Bushmills Whiskey Black Bush 8020 and Dobel 50 Cristalino luxury tequila

19:00 SGT | 12:00 GMT +1

Proximo Spirits is inviting Expo attendees to discover a new travel retail-exclusive blend from Bushmills and learn all about the luxurious Cristalino Tequila brand through a guided virtual tasting experience.

The session, led by Proximo Tequila Advocacy and Activation Manager Stelios Papadopoulos and Bushmills Irish Whiskey Brand Ambassador Lauren McMullan will highlight the unique flavour profiles of the two expressions.

Papadopoulos, the only non-Mexican to be given a tequila connoisseur title by the Mexican government, will expand on the popularity of the Cristalino Tequila brand as he guides guests through the powerful flavours of Dobel 50 Cristalino Extra Anejo tequila.

Meanwhile, McMullan, who was born just 12 miles from the Bushmills distillery, will offer an exclusive first look at the channel-exclusive Bushmills Black Bush 8020 PX Cask Reserve.

Diageo: A global travel retail product reveal

21:00 SGT | 14:00 GMT+1 

Hosted by Diageo No & Low Alcohol Brand Ambassador Christie Knight and Diageo Global Travel Retail Marketing and Innovation Director Dafydd Pugh Williams, this session will showcase a brand new global travel product reveal.

Knight has held On-Trade Specialist and Brand Ambassador roles throughout her career in Diageo and has recently stepped into the role of No & Low Alcohol Brand Ambassador. She oversees Seedlip, Æcorn, Tanqueray 0.0% & Gordon’s 0.0% Gin.

Dafydd Pugh Williams has over 15 years of experience in the drinks industry and a wealth of knowledge in developing creative strategies based on future trends. He leads a talented team in Diageo Global Travel to drive growth and ensure that Diageo is operating in a responsible way, ensuring that alcohol plays a positive role in society.

Stoli Group: Sustainability: One Vision. One Mission

22:00 SGT | 15:00 GMT+1

This compelling session, led by Stoli Group Global Sustainability Leader Elisa Whitehouse, will shed light on how the company has committed to building a sustainable future. Stoli Group will share its ambitious plan to deliver one vision and one mission: to establish the most powerful and sustainable ultra-premium spirits and wines portfolio by 2025.

Day 2: 12 October, Tuesday

Spark Group of Companies: Activations in a New Retail Era – Designing a New Promotional Framework

11:00 SGT | 04:00 GMT+1 

How can brands and retailers best prepare for a new in-store and in-person sales and promotional experience while managing costs?

What support measures are needed for operational efficiency, effectiveness, and accountability all while keeping consumer behaviour front and centre?

This webinar, led by Spark Founder and President Heidi Van Roon, will outline a new framework that serves the retailer, the brand, the staff and the consumer with a focus on dynamically growing sales in the retail landscape.

Lagardère Travel Retail: Duty Free, the next big step for Lagardère Travel Retail in China

12:00 SGT  | 05:00 GMT +1 

In recent years, Lagardère Travel Retail China has been heavily committed to duty paid retailing, a channel which has emerged as an increasingly significant growth driver for the company.

Now, Lagardère is taking its next big step into China’s travel retail sector, a great space for industry stakeholders to work together and raise the bar in terms of quality, execution and brand image.

In this engaging session, Lagardère Travel Retail Asia Vice President of Merchandising Terry Chua, formerly Vice President of Perfumes & Cosmetics and General Merchandise of China Duty Free Group, shares his thoughts on Lagardère’s next move in China.

Lindt & Sprüngli: Travel the world with Lindt Chocolate

14:00 SGT | 07:00 GMT+1