APTRA debate to address crisis recovery strategies
The Asia Pacific Travel Retail Association (APTRA) has announced the latest discussion in its APTRA Exchange program, focused on strategies for recovery.
The panel debate, made up of key industry executives and titled The Trinity Through a Crisis, is scheduled for October 13 2020 at 5.30pm Singapore time (UTC 09.30am/BST 10.30am).
The event will run online during the Moodie-Davitt Virtual Expo and is expected to attract a substantial global audience of retailers, brands, landlords and other suppliers. All registered expo delegates have free access to the APTRA Exchange online event.
In Asia Pacific, the travel retail industry is evolving and adapting rapidly, including the surge in Chinese domestic duty free in Hainan and the development of omnichannel solutions in response to the acceleration in digital adoption. The travel retail industry globally is looking to Asia Pacific for indicators of success as the first region to adopt several of these new measures.
APTRA has brought together several experienced representatives from all aspects and geographies representing the travel retail Trinity: Julia Bauer – Regional Manager, APAC, Imperial Brands; Philip Eckles – Chief Executive Officer, Delhi Duty Free; Erin Lillis – Travel Retail Director, Asia Pacific, Lacoste; and Lucy Thomas – Head of Retail, Auckland International Airport.
The event will be moderated by Kevin Zajax, Chief Executive Officer, Ground Central Global, Singapore.
Sunil Tuli, President of APTRA, said: “The Trinity Through a Crisis is designed to represent all core stakeholders of travel retail, i.e. the operators, the landlords, and the suppliers and brands. During this APTRA Exchange, we will share and learn how parties are working together to support each other – or not – as we focus on survival through this devastating situation. It is not intended to be critical of any party, but to show how the industry, if working together as a Trinity, can bounce back.
“Expect colorful debate on how stakeholders have co-operated and collaborated, what measures have been effective and, importantly, how we future-proof for crises of a similar scale. And yes, to answer everyone’s burning question, concession models are likely to be discussed!”
