Nordic trade appoints group to tackle "image crisis"

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The Scandinavian travel-retail industry has appointed a working group to deal with what it calls the "image crisis" facing the business in the region.

The Scandinavian travel-retail industry has appointed a working group to deal with what it calls the ?image crisis? facing the business in the region. At the conclusion of the Nordic Travel Retail Seminar, held on Tuesday August 19 onboard DFDS Seaways' vessel Pearl of Scandinavia, seven representatives were appointed to draft a paper pointing the way forward for the business.

The group includes A&E Petersen managing director Dan Kongsted, Inflight Services' Erik Thomsen, Silja Line's Johan Bask, MyTravel purchasing manager Lars Hjartbo, Copenhagen Airports' Kenneth Guldbjerg, SAS Trading president Patric Sjoberg and Color Line retail manager Gordon Jacobsen. More volunteers are being invited to come forward.

The group will meet in autumn to produce the paper. The issues it will confront include low penetration rates onboard ferries and in airports, the post-abolition price proposition, restructuring concession contracts to the benefit of landlords, retailers and suppliers, poor consumer perception of post-abolition travel-retail and the prospect of Norway finally joining the EU. The paper will be submitted to the Danish Duty Free and Travel Retail Association before publication.

Tuesday's Nordic seminar, organised by the Danish association and moderated by Moodie International's Martin Moodie, featured a strong line-up of regional speakers and a range of thought-provoking presentations. Highlights included a keynote speech by Gebr Heinemann co-owner Gunnar Heinemann, who made a forceful argument advocating a rethink on pricing and a common message for the travel-retail business. Also making strong contributions were Dan Kongsted, The Nuance Group business development director Mark State and Dubai Duty Free general manager George Horan. With presentations from Stockholm Arlanda airport director commercial affairs Thomas Cassel and Oslo Gardermoen airport commercial director Espen Ettre, there was also lively and controversial debate on the structuring of airport contracts.

For a full report keep an eye on travelretailworld and look out for the next issue of DFNI, out September 1.