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With the China Travel Retail Summit taking place in Beijing on the eve of TFWA Asia Pacific, and a workshop headed by a Chinese market expert a central part of the conference programme in Singapore, the potential of China is emerging as one of the hottest topics in regional travel-retail today.
The Raven Fox Awards for Travel-Retail Excellence in Asia/Pacific are once again set to be a highlight of the Asian duty-free show this month.
On the eve of the first China Travel Retail Summit, the country?s duty-free industry has much to discuss. Accession to the World Trade Organization is changing the rules and opening up the market to foreign competition like never before. Dermot Davitt reports.
It doesn?t take a rocket scientist to come up with a new moisturiser?or does it? For it is the expertise of a NASA physicist that gave rise to the cult of Crème de la Mer, a cream that has women queuing at the doors of department stores and shelling out £115 ($165) a pot. And now it?s arrived in travel-retail. Jane Labous finds out what all the fuss is about.
Italian retail group Gruppo PAM?s purchase agreement for The Nuance Group on April 17, like The Falic Group?s buyout of World Duty Free Americas last year, carries with it the imprint of September 11 and its devastating effects on the global trade.
Cellular, luxurious, Swiss. Marketing speak, some may say, but La Prairie?s heritage at a clinic known for its regenerative cell treatment means the claims for its beauty products are based on a lot more than just fresh air. Jane Labous discovers how La Prairie is combining science with the magic of the Swiss mountains.
Family-run Sisley is the brainchild of a French count and an object of desire for the rich and famous. Jane Labous talks to executive vice-president Philippe D?Ornano about what makes Sisley so special.
The quest for eternal youth is ever more urgent nowadays, as both men and women become increasingly preoccupied with delaying the effects of old age. As a result, the beauty market is booming, with consumers queuing up for premium-priced skincare products with exotic ingredients and even more elaborate promises. Jane Labous investigates why, in the twenty-first century, science fiction is fast becoming fact.
On the eve of the Singapore show, what is the outlook for the trade in the region? What is the depth of fallout from last year?s events?and crucially, will buyers make the trip in numbers that make it worthwhile to exhibit?
The threat to duty-free tobacco sales posed by the World Health Organization (WHO) is among the key issues to be discussed at TFWA Asia Pacific this month.
Tax Free World Association (TFWA) has appointed Brown-Forman liquor executive Richard Ferne to the post of TFWA Asia Pacific vice-president.
There could hardly be a more spectacular sporting contrast than that between the gentle Chinese art of Tai Chi and the more robust sport of rugby. But both feature prominently in the list of sports that delegates can enjoy at this year?s Asia/Pacific duty-free show.
Retail News Analysis
INTERNATIONAL. The Nuance Group is to be sold to Italian retailer Gruppo PAM for SFr405m ($244m), a price less than half the value some analysts put on the company in August when the sale was announced. Troubled airline company SAirGroup?s need to improve cash flow and the hard-hitting effects of September 11 will have played a vital part in determining the final purchase price.
THAILAND. King Power International Group is about to begin the second phase of refurbishment and expansion at the country?s leading airports, following its takeover of rival Airport Duty Free?s stores in January. The move gave King Power a virtual monopoly on Thailand?s duty-free market.
GREECE. According to sources at Hellenic Duty Free Shops, Aldeasa and The Nuance Group?together with its new shareholders?are among seven groups to have registered interest and requested the memorandum documents for the sale of a stake in the Greek operator of between 40% and 60%.
MIDDLE EAST. Channels Exhibitions has announced the launch of Middle East Exclusive, a new exhibition dedicated to duty-free, travel-retail and the luxury goods industry. The event will be held at the Dubai World Trade Centre from December 1?3 2003.
MALAYSIA. Leading Malaysian operator Eraman is diversifying its duty-free business at Kuala Lumpur International airport (KLIA), as retailers at the location begin to experience the first signs of recovery in their troubled market.
CANADA/US. The Nuance Group has been awarded contract extensions at the North American airports of Toronto, Calgary and Washington DC.
PAKISTAN. The deadline for bid submissions for the inflight retail concession onboard Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has been extended to May 2. Bids were originally scheduled to close in mid-April.
Following the sad death in March of DFNI?s long-time Latin American editor Desmond Begg, Raven Fox would like to remind Des? many friends in the industry that they are warmly invited to attend a celebration of his life in London on Thursday May 9.
ROMANIA. After the collapse of its first attempt to auction the duty-free concession at Bucharest Otopeni airport, the Romanian government has issued a further tender to select companies to operate shops at the location.
BALTIC. Estonian ferry operator Tallink is to sponsor a Duty-Free Conference for retailers and suppliers in the Baltic and Nordic regions to be held on June 4. It will provide a forum for discussion of a variety of issues facing the industry in the region.
ASIA/PACIFIC. This year?s presentation of the Raven Fox Awards for Travel-Retail Excellence in Asia/Pacific, to be held during TFWA Asia Pacific in Singapore, promises to be the biggest and best in the event?s five-year history. 100 companies have been nominated for prizes in what is the only awards ceremony in the industry to be decided by a free vote among travel retailers and suppliers.
INTERNATIONAL. Tax Free World Association (TFWA) has responded to buyers? calls to improve showcases for new products by introducing a new concept - Travel Dream - to be launched at Cannes.
Liquor & Wines
Allied Domecq Duty Free (ADDF) has launched a series of marketing and product development initiatives behind its Ballantine?s Scotch whisky and Tia Maria liqueur brands.
French operator Aelia has launched the latest in its range of own-brand Cognac products under the G Berteaux brand name.
Gift distributor Premier Portfolio is aiming to team up with liquor suppliers to introduce Premier Premiums, a focused range of gwps and pwps for the travel-retail marketplace.
Tobacco Products
French operator Aelia will continue to strengthen its cigar business when it introduces its Cave à Cigares retail concept at Paris Orly International airport.
Japan Tobacco International (JTI) is confident that overseas expansion under its Plan 2004 will drive a 49% increase in operating profit over the next three years.
Fragrances
Cosmopolitan Cosmetics? Anna Sui brand is rolling out the Sui Love fragrance in domestic and duty-free markets.
Paco Rabanne has entered the summer fragrance category with a brightly coloured fresh version of the Ultraviolet for women fragrance.
Versace plans to launch the new Versace Jeans Couture fragrance in September, with the TFWA World Exhibition in Cannes marking its worldwide introduction to duty-free.
Cosmetics
Expensive skin creams are becoming increasingly popular as women are prepared to pay more and more for so-called ?hope in a bottle? products.
Estée Lauder?s Spring 2002 colour cosmetics collection Extremely Spring is described as ?playful, smart and pretty?.
Yves Saint Laurent has completely revised its travel-retail range to better meet the needs of travellers. The French company now has a specific brand and line-up of products and exclusive sets called the Yves Saint Laurent Travel Selection.
Confectionery & Fine Foods
Toms International has completed its third acquisition in less than 10 months with the purchase of Swedish sugar confectionery manufacturer Webes.
The efforts of Singapore?s Focus Network Agencies have helped Masterfoods International Travel Retail (MITR) to increase sales in Asia/Pacific by more than a third year-on-year.
Gifts & Electronics
Premier Portfolio is targeting travel-retail ground shops with a range of six Fun Plane items.
Jewellery & Watches
Victoria & Co is offering a special promotional silver link Tommy Hilfiger necklace and pendant in travel-retail.
The newly launched Carlo range of jewellery, formerly Carlo Orsini, is to be the primary travel-retail focus for UK-based CAT Design, a division of Zero Inc.
Luxury watch brand Omega is to open a store at Beijing International airport by the end of May, marking its latest move to step up its profile in Asian markets.
Fashion & Leathergoods
Women?s apparel brand Monsoon is about to open its third UK airport store. The move marks an acceleration of its expansion plans in travel-retail and follows rapid growth in the channel by sister company Accessorize.
Miami-based Land Industries is set to open its first store on the low-tax island of Aruba in the Caribbean.
