Kauffmann receives Lifetime Achievement award

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One of the best known faces in the trade, long-serving Brasif Duty Free Shop vice-president business development Samuel Kauffmann received a Lifetime Achievement award for his contribution to the industry at last week's ASUTIL South American duty-free conference in Montevideo, Uruguay

The award was made by regional association ASUTIL and travelretailworld.com publisher Raven Fox, recognising Kauffmann's 20 years with Brasif and his role in developing South American duty-free. He was a founding member of ASUTIL.

The award came at the end of a strong two-day ASUTIL conference, which highlighted the challenges facing the industry amid crisis in Argentina and the surrounding countries.

Local economist Jorge Caumont said the problem of volatile currencies and unstable market conditions could last for years, while Uruguay's minister of tourism Juan Pedro Bordaberry said the region's states should develop a pan-regional approach to generating visitors.

But there are opportunities too in the region, highlighted by Aldeasa president Jose Fernandez Olano, who spoke of Aldeasa's future being intertwined with that of Latin America, a region that has been key to his company's growth in recent years.

Chief among the issues discussed was regional pricing for international brands, which generated heated debate between operators and suppliers. Operators insisted that duty-free's retail price advantage should be upheld despite falling prices for luxury goods in domestic markets. The loss of this advantage through the devaluation of local currencies has meant many businesses in Argentina and Uruguay have taken a hit.

The social side of the event was as lively as ever, as delegates were treated to lunches by InterBaires and Aldeasa, and to a sumptuous gala dinner by ferry operator Zeinal Hermanos.

• A full report will appear in a forthcoming issue of Duty-Free News International.