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A new formula for a new eventAUSTRALIA. The Australian Airports Association (AAA) – in partnership with The Moodie Davitt Report (TMDR) and The Mercurius Group (TMG) – recently announced their first-ever conference dedicated to retail and commercial issues to be held on the Gold Coast on 21-22 July.
The Airport Retail & Commercial Forum is intended as an acknowledgement of survival over the past two COVID-ravaged years and a platform to help the industry bounce back bigger and stronger than ever.
As with almost all elements of the travel retail industry over the past two years, COVID has impacted the events sector. Consequently, the AAA/TMDR/TMG alliance is supporting the industry’s recovery by trialling a new cost-effective way for stakeholders to come together and be part of the COVID recovery.
Rather than seeking the typical platinum/gold/silver/bronze-style partnerships, the three parties are instead establishing industry support panels – one for duty free, one for F&B, one for other commercial operators and one for travel retail brands and other suppliers.
The idea behind the support panels is that all players in a sector can be part of the event in a cost-effective manner in an industry-wide show of solidarity for the travel retail sector.
To kick things off, AAA/TMDR/TMG are proud to announce the first industry support panel has been established in the duty free sector.
Key duty free players in the Pacific region Lagardère Travel Retail/AWPL, Heinemann, Dufry and DFS Group have all agreed to contribute equally to supporting the AAA Retail & Commercial Forum.
The first company to come on board was the newly minted joint venture, Lagardère AWPL Travel Retail. Commenting on the industry support panel approach, joint CEOs Costa Kouros and Przemek Lesniak said, “Although we are not the biggest duty free operator in the region, our hearts beat loud and proud for this industry we love. We see the clear benefit in all parties equally sharing the cost of supporting this great event.
“We are very supportive of the approach taken by AAA/TMDR/TMG – an approach that will bring us together, celebrate the past, reconnect as a group, and focus us on what we believe will be a bright future. We look forward to seeing our airport and industry colleagues face-to-face once again.”
Heinemann Australia Managing Director George Tsoukalas said, “We are delighted to support a new and much needed conference that celebrates and promotes the travel retail sector. We hope to be able to contribute insights and expertise from our deep experience in Sydney and Gold Coast airports, complemented by lessons and best practices from our wider Asia Pacific business. We are very appreciative that AAA has recognised commercial partners’ importance to the future of airports and we are looking forward to welcoming our industry colleagues to the Gold Coast!”
Dufry Australia CEO Philippe Boyer said, “Dufry has a proud history in this region and we remain optimistic about the future, the opportunities for growth and our ambitions to transform travel retail in the region. We are excited to have the opportunity to meet airports and industry colleagues to discuss new opportunities and to support a Forum that will help accelerate sector recovery.”
DFS Vice President Oceania Prashant Mahboobani said, “We are delighted to join the support panel for this timely event. DFS is investing heavily and imaginatively in the Oceania region with new downtown stores under construction in Brisbane and Queenstown, and airports remain firmly on our radar when we can find the right fit with DFS’ high-quality proposition.”
Commenting on the industry support panel approach, The Moodie Davitt Report Founder & Chairman Martin Moodie said, “I have been running industry events for many years and this is the first time I have seen a collaborative approach such as this adopted which really focuses on supporting each other during an industry-wide recovery.
“The AAA needs to be congratulated for being open to trialling an innovative approach and the duty free retailers that have joined the first panel – Lagardère AWPL Travel Retail, Heinemann, Dufry and DFS Group – should also be commended for their commitment.
“We look forward to receiving similar support from other sectors within the airport commercial world – such as F&B, ground transport and industry suppliers,” he concluded.
For further comment or details on the event and for Australasian sponsorship opportunities, please contact:
Ivo Favotto
The Mercurius Group
ifavotto@themercuriusgroup.com
+61 423564057
For international brand sponsorship opportunities please contact:
Irene Revilla: Irene@MoodieDavittReport.com
Sarah Genest: Sarah@MoodieDavittReport.com
