Travel Retail Sustainability Week announced, to take place in 2021
As the reality of climate change has become more apparent in recent years, so too has the importance of sustainability as a concept and as a reality. While just a short time ago sustainability was not especially relevant to shoppers, that has decidedly changed.
A report earlier this year by travel retail research company m1nd-set stated that on average 72% of all shoppers in travel retail said they would be more inclined to purchase from a brand which placed greater focus on its sustainability. The percentage is even greater for millennials and female travellers, at 78%.
As sustainability has become more important to shoppers, it has inevitably become more important for brands and retailers.
Sustainability Week
To address this, TRBusiness has recently announced the launch of Travel Retail Sustainability Week, the very first virtual event for travel retail dedicated solely to sustainability.
This event will bring together all stakeholders in global travel retail to discuss initiatives and services that make sustainability a realistic goal.
Travel Retail Sustainability Week will feature webinars, workshops and interviews that will be relevant to those within the travel and tourism ecosystem, including airports, cruise and ferry operators, airlines, retailers, brands, design companies, F&B firms and others.
The event will offer the opportunity for industry stakeholders to learn consumer insights, and will also allow companies to pitch their sustainable solutions, products or services to the global audience.
Discussions led to event
Nigel Hardy and Janice Hook, Co-owners and Managing Directors of TRBusiness, commented on the inaugural Travel Retail Sustainability Week: “We have been delighted with the feedback we have received from all corners of the industry on the recent TRMarketplace digital conference and networking forum, and in particular on the Travel Retail Sustainability Forum discussions.”
TRBusiness itself has moved toward a more sustainable existence. The company will produce digital-only publications for all non-tradeshow issues from January 2021. When TRBusiness does create printed issues, the paper used will originate from responsibly managed and sustainable forests and is FSC certified, which means that anyone can trace where our paper has come from and see that new trees have been planted.
Achievable solutions
“There has been a concerted drive and desire from within the industry to move forward on reducing our plastic waste and carbon footprint. This, together with the hugely positive response to the recent TRSF meeting [which took place on Thursday 1 October], served to confirm our plans to launch Travel Retail Sustainability Week,” stated a press release.
“All panellists were very frank and open about the fact that the industry still has a long way to go to achieve such goals, but acknowledged that solutions are available and with greater transparency and a collaborative vision, those goals are attainable.”
The event will take place in the first half of 2021, dates still to be announced.
