SUMMIT OF THE AMERICAS: IAADFS


Americas Summit agenda to address key industry topics


Registrations from Dufry Group, DFASS, DFA, DFS Group, Motta Internacional, Aer Rianta International and other important retailers are expected to translate into healthy buyer delegations to this month’s Duty Free & Travel Retail Summit of the Americas. IAADFS President and CEO Michael Payne provides Luke Barras-Hill with a timely business update.


H


ow do you assess the performance of the airport duty free business


in 2017 and what’s the general mood of your membership with regards to the current climate? The economy is better at this point in 2018 than it was in 2017 for most of the region. There’s been more infrastructure in terms of new stores and developments at airports, which help to push the numbers up. The ingredients that are there for


increased travel and spending power are all really positive and people feel it. There are pockets of concern; we still have problems with some of the northern Caribbean islands hit by the (Atlantic) storm. There are still lots of facilities not open, so you have those issues to deal with, but generally speaking everybody is feeling pretty good. Depending on the data, for the US you have some decline in international visitors. It’s not a big impact for us, other than an optic. From Canada to the tip of South America, I think those numbers are up.


What have been the most pressing advocacy issues and challenges IAADFS has been addressing of late? We are getting re-engaged with the World Health Organization [illicit trade] protocol on tobacco. We’ve had conversations with representatives from all of the countries, and have started to engage them more. We will be meeting – through our member companies – with delegations of those countries to make sure they understand how duty free works. It’s clearly impactful for everybody if it starts effecting penetration rates and


MARCH 2018


stores. Clearly, it is a health issue, but this also involves customs officials so there is an opportunity to ensure their views are being heard in terms of how they enforce quantities, distribution and control through bonded warehouses and duty free. On US-specific issues, we’ve been


working on reducing paperwork requirements that are onerous for concessionaire members and we’re pretty close to having everything done electronically. Aside saving the concessionaires time and money, if it works properly then the ability for suppliers to move products out of bonded warehouses more quickly should also be cost effective for them. We’re also continuing to monitor


Liquids, Aerosols and Gels (LAGs). There is no real change in that. Our engagement is mostly putting out fires when it is not interpreted correctly. There tends to be regional or individual country issues that flare up that need to be dealt with.


You’ve confirmed the speaker lineup for the executive conference sessions at the


Summit of the Americas. Was it challenging to curate with ASUTIL a programme that accurately reflects the landscape of what is going on in both North and South Americas’ travel retail? No, it wasn’t difficult. One of the things you have to remember is IAADFS’s representation has always been all the Americas. The people around the board table have stores around Central America, South America and the Caribbean. Issues and engagement with that wider sphere has always been part of the mandate of the organisation, so blending some of the same interests that ASUTIL has was not particularly difficult. I expect where data is involved, it will have a more regional flavour. We


“The ingredients that are there for increased travel and spending power are all really positive and people feel it.”


Michael Payne, President and CEO, IAADFS


TRBUSINESS 29


Above: IAADFS will recognise its 50th milestone during the gala evening (pictured is last year’s event).


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92