LEADER/NEWS Leader
Staying connected in lockdown
In the last couple of months, I have been struck by the remarkable grit displayed by the travel retail community, evidence of which can most certainly be identified in numerous interviews filmed for TRBusiness’ newly launched Adapt & Survive video interview series. The series was launched as a direct
response to the industry’s critical need for direct, factual and analytical commentary on the challenges faced by the industry during Covid-19. Launched in March, the series has already received an enormous
swell of support, both in the number of requests from contributors and the overwhelmingly positive feedback from viewers. Identifying a clear need from our readers for up-to-the-minute
commentary from all stakeholders, a natural progression of our Adapt & Survive concept materialised in the form of our new TRConnect Webinar series in April. In the absence of a plethora of crucial industry events (now cancelled), including The Summit of the Americas (which was due to take place in March) and TFWA Asia Pacific (due to take place in May), the TRConnect series allows industry stakeholders to meet and greet in an online environment and benefit from inspiring and engaging educational content. For those of you looking to register, visit https://www.
trbusiness.com/trconnect.
Latest news from China and South Korea Whilst we continue to diversify our business with the addition of new platforms, we continue to provide unrivalled print coverage inside this special Asia Pacific edition of the magazine. Speaking to the leading Asia Pacific operators for this issue,
TRBusiness has delivered a truly comprehensive report, packed full of indispensable insight, data & analysis. Once again our Asia Correspondent David Hayes provides
his exclusive on-location report from the world’s biggest duty free market of South Korea, providing an outlook for the region informed by interviews with the leading players. This is all placed in context by exclusive market data, which reveals that South Korea enjoyed another record year in 2019. Whilst sales exceeded $21bn last year, operators’ losses in Q1 2020 range anywhere from 25-90%, due to the devastating impacts of Covid-19. Whilst a revival still looks far away for South Korea, China is
already seeing early signs of a recovery, according to leading operators in China such as China Duty Free Group (CDFG), CNSC and Lagardère Travel Retail (duty paid). Whilst conversations with retailers and suppliers based in China have been positive, TRBusiness is reluctant to suggest that any country is witnessing a meaningful recovery of its various travel and tourism businesses at this moment in time.
Charlotte Turner, Editorial Director MAY 2020
WHO postpones illicit trade and tobacco control meetings until 2021
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has announced the postponement of key meetings on illicit trade and tobacco control until November 2021. The Duty Free World Council (DFWC) has expressed serious
concern at proposals that will be discussed at these meetings, which allege that the duty free industry is a source of illicit trade. Based on that premise, the WHO has the ultimate aim of banning the sale of duty free tobacco products. In conversation with TRBusiness during a recent edition of this
publication’s Adapt & Survive Skype video series, Sarah Branquinho, President, DFWC confirmed that a new campaign launched in January addressing recurring allegations of illicit trade contained in the WHO’s Illicit Trade Protocol had received ‘tremendous buy-in’ from retailers worldwide, before the pandemic hit.
Duty free: ‘Transparent, controlled and legitimate’ Branquinho commented: “The DFWC acknowledges the decision taken by the FCTC Secretariat to reschedule the next round of meetings until November 2021. It is right for the WHO to be focused on the very real threat of Covid-19. “In the face of the Covid-19 outbreak, the duty free industry’s
contribution to the recovery and ongoing success of the travel sector is going to be critical. In the months ahead, our sector will be central to helping drive the revenues needed to fuel the biggest economic recovery effort the global aviation and maritime sectors have ever seen.” While industry operating conditions have changed in the short
term, the message remains the same. “The duty free channel is a transparent, controlled and legitimate retail channel vital to the growth and success of airports and ports across the world. That is a message which will continue to be repeated across the world by our retailers, airport, airline and maritime partners.” The DFWC remains adamant that any study run by the WHO under
Article 13 of the Illicit Trade Protocol should only be undertaken if sufficient time is provided for existing measures within the protocol to take place. Branquinho concluded: “While the next FCTC meetings will
now take place in 2021, the Duty Free World Council will not be pulling back on its campaign to defend the duty free industry from unfair accusations and unwarranted attacks under the pretext of controlling illicit trade. We will continue to make our case across the world to help regulators understand both the economic value of our sector and the integrity, security and transparency of our industry.”
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