AMERICAS. A strong and diverse array of high-profile speakers at the Summit of the Americas – A Virtual Experience (5-9 April) has been boosted by further names representing travel retailers, airlines, brand owners and service companies. These are joined by speakers that will analyse the short- and medium-term outlook for travel in the Americas, offer consumer views of the channel and assess how the economic situation for the region is likely to shape up post-crisis.
As reported, the all-digital Summit is being organised by the International Association of Airport and Duty Free Stores (IAADFS) and Asociación Sudamericana de Tiendas Libres (ASUTIL) in partnership with The Moodie Davitt Report (which organised the successful Virtual Travel Retail Expo from 12-16 October).
Visitor registration (free to all travel retailers and airport companies) is open at the official event website, which is now live.
3Sixty Duty Free Chief Operations Officer Alex Anson will represent the Miami-based airport, airline and omnichannel retailer in a retailer panel on day one.
Duty Free Americas CEO Jerome Falic and IDL Vice President Justin Guay will discuss the future for the border store channel in the Americas (in a session also featuring Neutral CEO Marcelo Montico, already named).
SMT Duty Free Executive Vice President Eddie Ferenczi will discuss the prospects for industry recovery in the Caribbean market, while, separately, Marshall Retail Group (a WHSmith company) Chief Development Officer Roderick McOwan will join a session to talk about the opportunities to grow the travel essentials and speciality retail business in North America.
The theme of blending humanisation and digitalisation in the post-COVID world will be addressed by a range of speakers, among them Servy (formerly Grab) CXO Jeff Livney and Spark Business Services Group Founder and CEO Heidi van Roon.
Bacardi Global Travel Retail Global Head of Marketing Ignacio Vázquez will speak about driving a bright future for brands in the channel.
Offering a view of the future from the airline perspective will be Latin American & Caribbean Air Transport Association (ALTA) Executive Director & CEO José Ricardo Botelho.
The economic outlook for Latin America will be presented by respected Argentinian Economist Carlos Melconian, who will be well known to visitors at previous ASUTIL and IAADFS events.
ForwardKeys VP Insights Olivier Ponti will discuss the prospects for travel recovery across the regional market on behalf of the leading travel analytics company.
Importantly, the event will also hear insights about the views of the consumer in the new world of travel. Influential US travel website and blog The Points Guy will be represented by Executive Editorial Director Scott Mayerowitz, while J.D. Power Travel Practice Lead Michael Taylor will reveal the latest data from the company’s North America Airport Satisfaction Study.
In recent days we announced that Roel Huinink, President & CEO of JFKIAT, which manages Terminal 4 at John F. Kennedy International, will be a speaker, as will Martín Eurnekian, Chief Executive Officer of Corporación América Airports.
As reported, Walmart Senior Vice President, Sustainability Jane Ewing will address the key theme of sustainability in retail and travel retail.
Other speakers named include Hudson CEO Roger Fordyce, ARI-North America General Manager Jackie McDonagh, Motta Internacional Senior Vice President Aurelio Barria, Midway Partnership CEO (and Vantage Airport Group Chief Commercial Officer) Sammy Patel and PT&M Managing Director Eric Trichot (whose company is leading the tender process at Martinique Aimé Césaire International Airport Company).
The line-up also includes Paradies Lagardère President & CEO Gregg Paradies, Dufry General Manager Sub-Cluster South America Enrique Urioste, Neutral by Luryx Duty Free Shop CEO Marcelo Montico, Starboard Cruise Services President & CEO Lisa Bauer, Harding Retail Deputy Managing Director Mark Birnie, Heinemann Americas CEO Nadine Heubel, Stellar Partners CEO Padraig Drennan and International Shoppes Director Matthew Greenbaum.
Click on the video above for an explanation of how the virtual Summit of the Americas event works for exhibitors and visitors
As reported, for exhibitors there are multiple options to display products, deliver brand and product presentations, offer virtual tours of their facilities and showrooms, and connect with buyers. Event sponsorship options are also available through our team.
The Summit is open to airports and all other landlords from travel-related sectors; retailers, food & beverage operators and other commercial service providers; brands, agents & distributors; media and other relevant parties.
As noted above, visitor registration (free to all travel retailers and airport companies) is open at the official event website, which is now live.
Contacts
To learn more about this opportunity, please download the 2021 Virtual Summit Information Briefing. For virtual stand reservations or media, please contact Irene Revilla at Irene@MoodieDavittReport.com.
For general questions about participation in the Virtual Summit, please contact Steven Antolick for further assistance.
