The 11th ACI Europe Airport Trading Conference and Exhibition takes place in Paris from February 25 to 27, with the theme ?Business must go on?. The event, hosted by Aéroports de Paris, will be held in the city?s Palais des Congrès.

After a decade and a half, the Raven Fox brand has spread all around the world. And this Winter it has reached deep into darkest, coldest Sweden as the Raven Fox-sponsored Örnsköldsvik curling team heads up the national division two league half-way through the season.

The year provided a wealth of stories and events of interest but which of them should be singled out for attention? Who were the star performers and who is in line to receive a special award? DFNI examines the highs and lows of another duty-free year.

DFNI's Timeline 2001 charts the main events of the duty-free year

Until September 11, 2001 had been a year of strong growth for many suppliers. But as the world struggled to comprehend the human tragedy unfolding on its streets and its TV screens, and business suddenly became irrelevant in a terrorised world, life, as many said at the time had, changed for ever.

New York-based and strongly American in portfolio and imagery, The Estée Lauder Companies felt a profound impact from the September 11 terrorist acts. Deciding it would be inappropriate to exhibit at Cannes in October, Lauder withdrew its stand. However, vice-president/general manager travel retailing worldwide Fabrice Weber and Group president international Philip Shearer showed their support for the trade by visiting Cannes, where they discussed the effects of September 11, retail consolidation and the grey market with DFNI publisher Martin Moodie.

Welcome to DFNI?s traditional yearly retrospective, as we look back on a year of triumph marred by tragedy.

Stormy weather or sunshine with intermittent showers? DFNI gauges the industry climate, assesses the bright spots, and looks at where the storm clouds have been brewing.

Sustained investment and a new strategy have changed the fortunes of Reemtsma?s duty-free division over the past three years. With a sale by parent company Tchibo on the cards for early next year, DFNI assesses the outlook for the fast-growing German cigarette group.

Reemtsma parent Tchibo has employed Merrill Lynch to look into the sale of its cigarette manufacturing subsidiary. Originally it had planned to put 25% of Reemtsma shares on the market, but it now appears bids will be invited for the entire company.

DFNI surveyed a cross-section of industry figures and asked them for their predictions. It?s a snapshot?encouragingly upbeat?of how the travel-retail industry might look in 2002.

The winning entry, to be pulled from the editor-in-chief?s Father Christmas hat on January 7, will receive a sterling silver Parker Sonnet pen.

If any reminders were needed about the themes that will define duty-free?s year ahead, then the past few weeks have delivered them. By Dermott Davitt

South American duty-free association ASUTIL has named its board members for 2002?2004.

MEXICO. Spanish operator Aldeasa has begun its airport concessions at the holiday destination of Cancún. The company will be operating the shops exclusively, and not in a joint venture with Brasif as previously planned.

INTERNATIONAL. A DFNI survey of industry executives worldwide reveals cautious optimism about travel-retail in 2002, despite the toughest of final quarters following the September 11 attacks on the US. Concerns persist about the slump in air travel and there are fears that tightened security measures will change the nature of air travel and affect retailing.

SINGAPORE. Weitnauer is bidding to defend its fragrances and cosmetics contract in Changi airport terminal one, where tenders are due on December 28. One bidder told DFNI: ?We expect bids to be less aggressive than previously at Changi. Conditions are simply too tough to maintain a sustainable business with high bids.?

INTERNATIONAL. The Falic family, new owners of Duty Free Americas (formerly World Duty Free Americas), may be about to pull off another headline-grabbing acquisition.

JAPAN. The September 11 effect has led to a fall in passenger numbers of 30% at Japan?s leading airport Tokyo Narita. But landlord New Tokyo Airport Authority (NAA) is confident that new facilities at the location will help operators recover quickly.

UAE. Dubai Duty Free (DDF) aims to achieve sales of Dh1bn ($272m) next year, after a forecast of Dh915m ($249m) in 2001.

RUSSIA. Moscow Duty Free will consider new retail concepts, including self-selection for beauty stores, in the new Sheremetyevo terminal three, scheduled to open in 2004.

International Women?s Day is the apt occasion for next year?s annual Raven Fox charity ball. The Enchantment Ball will be held on March 8 and will raise funds for Cosmetic Executive Women France?s (CEW) work in creating beauty salons in hospitals for seriously ill patients.

SWITZERLAND. The Nuance Group plans to expand and redesign its duty-free stores at Geneva airport after its contract was renewed for a further five years. Nuance has won an extension that takes it from January 2002 to 2006.

JORDAN. The most powerful speaker line-up in the event?s history is promised at the annual Middle East & Africa Duty Free Symposium to be held in Amman, Jordan from January 20?22.

THAILAND. Expressions of interest for the three-year duty-free contract onboard Thai Airways International were due as DFNI went to press.

UAE. As part of a promotional drive, Abu Dhabi Duty Free (ADDF) has launched a new airport magazine, Buzz, to replace publication ShopTalk.

GREECE. Hellenic Duty Free Shops subsidiary Hellenic Distribution is to open 10 stores onboard the ships of Greek ferry operator Minoan Flying Dolphins, sources close to the deal told DFNI.

INDONESIA. Unilever Cosmetics International (UCI) seized counterfeit fragrance goods with an estimated street value of $1m in Indonesia earlier this month, as part of a crackdown among suppliers of illicit trading in branded goods.

Market research company JRA has unveiled a summary of its survey of western European operators on how they view the work of liquor suppliers in 2001.

A new anis product based on absinthe plants is set to enter global duty-free after a successful trial period with Brasif.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has called for regional discussions on the proposed Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC).

British-American Tobacco (BAT) may lose up to 3% of its revenue next year in a move to curb smuggling. It said it was stepping up action in an attempt to secure government aid in combating counterfeiters.

Interested parties will probably wait until after January 1, when the German government will reduce capital gains tax.

Dog Generation, the French house that created the Oh my dog! and recently launched Oh my cat! fragrances, is offering a selection of limited-edition Christmas gifts for pets for the festive season.

Estée Lauder?s recently formed Designer Fragrances division is set for new acquisitions to increase its designer fragrance portfolio and help expand its presence in Europe.

Hoverspeed?s new On-Board Christmas Shopping catalogue is part of what it calls its biggest ever Christmas campaign.

Clinique worldwide executive director marketing Dierdre Riou believes that airports are an ideal place to market beauty products to male travellers, and told DFNI that men?s changing attitudes towards beauty products should be exploited.

US men?s skincare line Zirh is preparing for a launch into travel-retail. The company, in which Shiseido bought a 58% stake last year, is established on the US domestic market as well as local markets in the UK, Scandinavia, France, Canada, Japan and South Korea.

Yves Saint Laurent?s Touche Eclat was the best-selling colour sku for World Duty Free Europe in 2001, according to director of buying perfumes and cosmetics Alyson Reilly.

Belgian chocolate specialist Bouchard L?Escaut is to make its entry into the UK duty-free market with a three-month trial at The Nuance Group?s outlets from next March.

Toms International is considering a duty-free role for the private-label products of Parrs, the UK sugar confectionery company it bought recently.

Leading US confectionery brand Hershey?s is introducing several line extensions to its Kisses range, all exclusive to duty-free. Chase International distributes the brand in US duty-free.

Dutch operator Take Off Multitronics is resolutely pursuing expansion plans despite the general industry downturn triggered by the September 11 attacks. The

UK porcelain manufacturer Royal Worcester, which has a duty-free presence in the UK and Middle East markets, is set to capitalise on the Queen?s Golden Jubilee celebrations in 2002 with the launch of a new range.

Tiger Electronics has launched an electronic encyclopaedia called Pokédex Deluxe.

London City airport and The Nuance Group opened a Goldsmiths jewellery and watch store on November 28 for the Christmas season.

Victoria & Co introduced a travel-retail programme for Tommy Hilfiger jewellery last month.

US watch manufacturer Bulova has appointed World Class Brands, headed by Leonard Di Cristofano, as its exclusive worldwide duty-free agent.

The first phase of a US-Mexico border shopping complex in San Ysidro opened in mid-November?and fashion retailing is the primary focus.

Luxury bed linen company Frette intends to explore the travel-retail channel in the second quarter of 2002 and has plans to expand outside Italy.

Italian company Luxottica has responded to claims by US sunglasses manufacturer Oakley that it has infringed patents it holds covering reflective coating for some sunglass lenses, by saying this applies to just three models for a total of four skus.