In Crisis – Travel Retail Voices: ASUTIL’s José Luis Donagaray and Inés Sisto Patron

Welcome to In Crisis – Travel Retail Voices, our new podcast series in which we speak to travel retail executives around the world to see how they and their businesses are coping with the COVID-19 crisis.

This episode features South American Duty Free Association (Asociación Sudamericana de Tiendas Libres/ASUTIL) Secretary General José Luis Donagaray and General Events Coordinator Inés Sisto Patron.

Tireless champions of the South American duty free industry: José Luis Donagaray and Inés Sisto Patron (Picture: Duty Free & Travel Retailing Magazine, Hibah Noor)

As reported, ASUTIL last week called on Latin American governments to issue urgent financial relief to the airports sector and to business partners, including duty free retailers, amid the COVID-19 crisis.

The measures proposed include deferment of concession fees to airport companies, financial support for airports and their service providers to preserve liquidity, and suspension of tax payments.

Martin Moodie caught up with José Luis and Inés in Uruguay to discuss how the crisis was affecting not only the professional community but also their own daily lives and families. José Luis has come closer to COVID-19 than he would like. His son, who lives with him and his wife, has been battling the disease. Fortunately, as José Luis reveals, the news is good.

Click on the icon to listen to José Luis Donagaray and Inés Sisto Patron.

Previously on In Crisis – Travel Retail Voices

April 5: General Manager of Nestlé International Travel Retail, Stewart Dryburgh

April 2: Founder of Duty Free Global, Barry Geoghegan

April 1: Vice President of Miami-based Essence Corp, Patricia Bona.

29 March: William Grant & Sons President Asia Pacific Doug Bagley

29 March: PMA Canada National Director – Duty Free Jeff Orson

27 March: Paul & Shark Global Travel Retail Director Catherine Bonelli

26 March: King Power Traveler President Rakhita Jayawardena

25 March: Public health expert Dr. David Heymann

24 March: King Power Group (Hong Kong) Group Chief Executive Officer Sunil Tuli

22 March: The Moodie Davitt Report Founder & Chairman Martin Moodie

21 March: China Duty Free Group President Charles Chen

20 March: Dubai Duty Free Executive Vice Chairman & CEO Colm McLoughlin

Food & Beverage The Magazine eZine