SINGAPORE. Visitor numbers at this year’s TFWA Asia Pacific Exhibition (as of the close of Wednesday 15 May) were up by 7.5% to 3,260, according to provisional attendance figures from TFWA.
“We are already well above the final figures from last year,” said TFWA President Alain Maingreaud during the closing press conference. The 3,260 visitors – up from 3,031 in 2018 – represent 1,414 companies, an increase of 13.3% year on year.
As reported in our Moodie Davitt Live feed, there were 314 exhibiting companies compared to 309 last year. This included 66 new/returning companies.
Exhibition space spanned more than 11,000sq m across two floors at the Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention Centre, an increase of 5.5% from 2018.
Maingreaud said: “There is a general satisfaction that the shop floor has been busy with plenty of visitors this week. Many exhibitors told me that they have been able to see the customers that matter, and several have also mentioned good prospects for new business from first-time visitors to their stand, which is very positive. I have been very impressed by the quality of the exhibitor stands this year, which has improved year after year, and that reflects the business potential of the region.”
The conference on Monday 13 May – which featured a new plenary-only format – was attended by 1,481 delegates, a decline of 5.0% from last year. TFWA’s ONE2ONE meeting service saw a 7.7% rise, with 436 pre-arranged meetings.
Maingreaud said: “The conference was very well received, and I’m particularly pleased with the launch of the DFWC (Duty Free World Council) Academy here in Singapore and by the positive response from the delegates at the conference and during the week. Many people have asked for information about this new initiative and some of them have already signed up for the first course.”
In terms of social events, the golf tournament on Sunday 12 May – held at the Laguna National Golf and Country Club in partnership with Interparfums – was fully booked with 63 participants. The Welcome Cocktail at the Fort Canning Hotel later that evening saw 927 guests, slightly down from 948 last year.
The Chill-Out Party, which took place on Tuesday 14 May at Mandarin Oriental, was well attended with 612 guests – up from 580 last year. It was sponsored by Lacoste, Korea Ginseng Corporation and Patchi.
The next evening’s Singapore Swing Party at Ola Beach, Sentosa, welcomed 648 guests compared to 925 last year.
