Asia/Pacific workshop signals optimism

John Rimmer

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A strong turnout of delegates attended the TFWA Asia/Pacific workshop at the Hotel Majestic in Cannes this morning

The association gave a presentation on the future of Asian aviation and the opportunities for travel retailers, and delegates were invited to support the fledgling Asia Pacific Travel Retail Association, due to be launched officially at next year's TFWA event in Singapore.

A presentation from Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA) managing director Peter Harbison?delivered by TFWA's Linda Hopkins in Harbison's absence?focused on changes in the regional travel market driven by intra-regional trade and a diminished reliance on Asia's main hub airports. The rapid and largely unforeseen growth in low-cost travel was resulting in the "commoditisation" of air travel, the study said, which offered considerable potential for travel retailers to target a new market. China, inevitably, was highlighted as the key market of the future.

TFWA CEO Andrew Ford gave details of the association's research into the Asia/Pacific market, showing how travel-retail is benefiting from pent-up demand among Asians to travel and shop. Among Japanese travellers surveyed by TFWA this year, average travel-retail spend reached an impressive ?994 ($1243), with mainland Chinese not far behind at average of ?888 ($1110). He concluded that improving consumer confidence and regional economic performance afforded room for optimism.

Delegates to the workshop also heard from King Power's Sunil Tuli and Maxxium's Joel Lafon, two of the voluntary working group set up to look into the creation of the Asia Pacific Travel Retail Association. One of the new association's core aims is to represent and protect the interests of Asian travel-retail, and to create a forum for exchanging information and research. The group's first annual general meeting will be held during the TFWA Asia Pacific show in Singapore next May, and Lafon urged retailers, suppliers and airports to lend their support.

Ford also gave details of next year's Singapore show, which has been moved forward to commence on Monday May 16 to reduce overlap with the Gate One event, which will be held at the end of the week. He claimed that TFWA had already sold 40% of floor space at the event, and revealed that UK politician and former Hong Kong governor Chris Patten will be keynote speaker at the Singapore conference.