Meeting to address Norway’s travel-retail issues

Nicole Mezzasalma

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Nordic Travel Retail Group meeting in October will focus on Norway

The Nordic Travel Retail Group (NTRG) will focus on Norway at its next members meeting in Oslo on October 4. Among the main topics to be discussed will be government restrictions to travel-retail, the forthcoming tightening of regulations on tobacco sales and this summer’s duty-free abolition debate in the country.

NTRG chairman Erik Thomsen said: “I know the abolition debate was rejected [as just a way of testing public reaction]. However, we need to show dedication. The business as a whole needs to improve its ability to contribute to society in general. Today we operate on a different business model than before. It is important that our stakeholders—be they politicians, government officials or members of the public—see us for what we are: a fully legitimate part of the retail business contributing to the wealth of our society in many ways—through jobs, tourism, marketing and the sale of branded products—and as an important part of the travel experience.”

The meeting will include a presentation on the long-term outlook for excise regulation in the Nordic region by Deloitte senior manager Thomas Sørensen.