IAADFS


IAADFS points to cautious optimism as Summit battles LatAm headwinds


IAADFS President and CEO Michael Payne says exhibitor space for the 2019 Summit of the Americas sold out in February, but he is cautious in his predictions for the final visitor count, which he thinks could be impacted by a slowdown in some LatAm countries.


different format’ to this year’s Duty Free & Travel Retail Summit of the Americas, along with what Payne describes as ‘some really robust, vigorous executive learning sessions’ complemented by some ‘different social networking opportunities’. “We have a trade area as opposed


to just a pure exhibit hall,” says Payne. “So part of the trade area is an exhibit hall and part of it comprises some private meeting rooms (suites). “And we’ve got some exhibit area


Michael Payne, President and CEO, IAADFS. A


Michael Payne, President and CEO, IAADFS


s expressed by TRBusiness on the previous page (p23), IAADFS and ASUTIL


are going to be offering a ‘very


“This is not just about a trade show, but a much larger industry presence and impact and recognition. It’s all going to change for us if we are not careful…”


out in the foyer of the trade area. So we’ve tried to define it a little bit differently this year, so there are more options. We’re trying to accommodate their needs with the move to the Hyatt so we’ll see how that works.” By mid-February exhibition


space was pretty much sold out and many buyers from the top Americas operators had confirmed their attendance. “Dufry, Motta, Aer Rianta and


those on the IAADFS Board are sending large delegations of buyers and those numbers looks good, although I don’t have the hard data


This is ‘not just a trade show’


Michael Payne points out that the Summit of the Americas provides the necessary funding for advocacy work undertaken on behalf of the industry in the Americas by IAADFS and ASUTIL. “For us, this event is what we use to


get revenue to do advocacy on behalf of the industry and I’ll just keep saying it until people get it. “This is the only way we can deal


with raising allowances for duty free travellers; STEBS/liquids and gels; preventing a ban on the sale of tobacco and other products in our stores; and


24 TRBUSINESS


labelling issues etc. “Of course, we want to make it [the


Summit of the Americas] incredibly interesting and valuable and it’s got to provide a ROI, but what we get from it, is an opportunity to go out and really push the interests of the industry with government officials, airports and others and that’s what we do.” “This is not just about a trade show,


but a much larger industry presence and impact and recognition. It’s all going to change for us if we are not careful…”


STEBs have made a massive difference to duty free operators in the US.


MARCH 2019


on that right now," says Payne. “But if the buyer numbers are


close to what we had last year I’ll be happy with that.” Both IAADFS and ASUTIL are


experimenting with a few new ideas this year covering different components of the show, but Payne is under no illusion that they will get everything right this time around. “If people don’t like it and want it


changed, we’ll change it,” he says. “But I think we’re moving in the


right direction… it’s a new venue so there’s naturally a bit of guess work involved around how some of it’s going to flow exactly. But we feel pretty good about it.” Of course, the organisers are


cognisant that visitor numbers may be impacted this year by fewer buyers attending from some areas of Latin America, namely Argentina, Venezuela and potentially Brazil. “We’re pushing a little against the


headwinds from the South American economy which is down, and I suspect we are going to feel that, but how that translates into the exact numbers and people, I don’t know that yet,” adds Payne. «


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