ADAPT & SURVIVE SERIES: HIGHLIGHTS


‘Adapt & Survive’: Travel retail on steepest learning curve


In the absence of crucial trade events, travel retail industry stakeholders were crying out for a new platform through which they could engage with their peers and customers, while communicating messages of positivity. In response to this clear demand, TRBusiness launched ‘Adapt & Survive’, a new Skype video interview series. Here are a selection of highlights from the series so far.


from governments. One of the first interviewees


TRBusiness spoke to was ETRC Secretary General Julie Lassaigne, who relayed news of the ETRC’s urgent appeal to the European Commission. Lassaigne insisted that the industry is in desperate need of financial aid from governments around the world if even ‘the most successful’ suppliers and operators are to survive this period. However, she also pointed out


Matthew Greenbaum, VP, International Shoppes labelled the company’s staff as ‘heroes’. I


n a trade media first, TRBusiness launched a new Skype video interview series in March called ‘Adapt and Survive’ and it is proud


to report an overwhelmingly positive response. With requests to be involved flooding in daily, we now have a huge breadth of interview subjects within our video library, free to view at any time. Adapt and Survive asks prominent


and influential travel retail industry figures, often working from home, for their candid commentary on the constantly evolving coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic. The video series is a direct


“[DF&TR] of course is mainly part of the airports’ ecosystem and the airports have huge fixed costs – you could argue larger than the airlines – and yet they are not getting the same airtime or focus from governments despite all the fantastic work that ACI is doing.”


Sarah Branquinho, President of the Duty Free World Council


26 TRBUSINESS


response to the industry’s critical need for direct, factual and analytical commentary and – in typical TRBusiness fashion – interprets clearly and concisely the challenges faced by travel retail during Covid-19. TRBusiness felt it necessary to


reach out to trade association heads early on in the series, in order to pass on crucial updates on the rapidly evolving global situation and to help inform viewers of the current progress in receiving financial aid


that while the ETRC joins other global trade associations in the fight against Covid-19 and is working hard to mitigate against the devastating impacts on the travel industry, it also cannot ignore other obligations, such as gaining clarity for businesses on the outcome of Brexit.


Brexit consultation As first reported by TRBusiness, the UK’s HM Treasury and HM Revenue and Customs launched an open consultation in March seeking evidence and views on the potential return of tax and duty free sales between the UK and EU. Lassaigne – appointed in


February last year – also said it was a bittersweet moment for her, as she celebrated 10 years of working in the travel retail industry in February. Despite the gravity of the


situation we all face, Lassaigne was characteristically optimistic about the future of the duty free and travel retail industry, insisting that she has witnessed great comebacks in previous years. For Duty Free World Council (DFWC) President


Sarah Branquinho, gaining government MAY 2020


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  |  Page 93  |  Page 94  |  Page 95  |  Page 96  |  Page 97  |  Page 98  |  Page 99  |  Page 100  |  Page 101  |  Page 102  |  Page 103  |  Page 104  |  Page 105  |  Page 106  |  Page 107  |  Page 108