INTERNATIONAL. Welcome to the March edition of The Moodie Davitt Magazine: Digital Edition, in which we report on the deep impact that the COVID-19 outbreak is having on the world and on travel, aviation, tourism and travel retail markets.
We consider the effects to date on our industry – from airports to retailers and from brand owners to consumers (and their behaviour) – and we assess how the leading players might emerge once the crisis eventually passes.
In particular, we examine the response of Dufry, travel retail’s number one company by sales, as revealed to a concerned investment community last week (even as it reported a solid 2019 performance).
Dark as today might look, there will be a tomorrow. People will travel (and shop) again, with that emergence likely to be led by Asia and indeed China. The vast daigou business, which has buoyed Korean duty free so much in recent years, will play its part in this, certainly in cosmetics and luxury goods. We publish highlights of a fascinating report into daigou traders from Korean financial services provider CGS-CIMB, which offers insights into this sector and the possible nature of a bounce-back post-COVID-19.
Our understanding of the vital China market is enhanced with a special report from Billion Connect, the world’s largest travel SIM card provider. The details in these pages offer valuable data and analysis about Chinese outbound consumers’ travel and shopping patterns.
Whatever else stops, innovation does not, and we are pleased to bring you an interview with OTG CEO Rick Blatstein on how his company is rolling out Amazon Just Walk Out technology at Newark Liberty Airport, in a global industry first.
This edition of The Magazine was due to have been available at the Summit of the Americas this month – and will still be mailed to our database of readers in that region and around the world. So as well as focusing on the crisis and its impact, we carry a strong set of features from the Americas, north and south.
Please enjoy those, and the rest of this Digital Edition of The Magazine, with our compliments. Most importantly, stay safe and well.
