ASUTIL has announced the speaker line up at its 20th conference entitled ‘Step by step in the right direction’ – which is scheduled to be held at the Sheraton Santiago Hotel & Convention Center, Santiago de Chile between 8-11 June.

 

The speakers will comprise, Argentine economist and newly-appointed President of the Banco Nación in Argentina Carlos Melconian, m1nd-set Owner and CEO Peter Mohn and Google’s Director of Latin America, Olga San Jacinto.

 

Economist Melconian has been a regular and popular presenter at ASUTIL, delivering strong and uncompromising insights on the main Latin American economies and their perspectives since 2005.

 

MULTIPLE PERSPECTIVES…

The association says that Melconian, in his new position as the President of Argentina’s biggest bank ‘Banco Nación’, plans to share his vision of the new Argentina with President Mauricio Macri at the helm, against the backdrop of the present global economy.

 

In addition, he will also look at the ‘tourist wallet indicator’ to try to appreciate how the evolution of different currencies is impacting on regional tourism.

 

By contrast – and potentially a big highlight of the event – m1nd-set’s Peter Mohn will unveil the company’s exclusively commissioned new study for ASUTIL on consumer behaviour in South America.

 

This presentation will address the important questions: how does the purchasing process work? How and when do they seek information? What is the price sensitivity? Is there a real value added in duty free?

 

STRATEGIC MOMENTS…

In this fourth study conducted by m1nd-set, ASUTIL says: “It will include an analysis of various tactics within the strategy and of the opportunities to perform on the consumer provided at the ‘moment of truth’”.

 

 

[Mohn is also making a presentation at next month’s Orlando IAADFS Duty Free Show of the Americas on Monday April 4. For more details click here: http://www.trbusiness.com/regional-news/international/iaadfs-orlando-speakers-named-as-gittens-and-mohn/100061-Ed].

 

Last, but not least, Olga San Jacinto from Google Latin America will talk about ‘the next steps of technological innovation’ and what the industry can expect, and the impact this will have on the DF&TR industry.

 

TOMORROW’S INNOVATIONS AND DF&TR

The conference is scheduled to begin in the hotel’s San Cristóbal room at 09.00 on Wednesday June 8 with the traditional welcome greeting, followed by a ‘statement of the affairs of ASUTIL and the industry’.

 

It then runs through to lunch at 12.30, followed by networking time from 15.00 – prior to the opening cocktail event taking place at 20.30. By contrast, the Thursday session begins after lunch at 14.30 and runs through to 18.15 and is followed by the evening Gala Dinner at 20.30.

 

A small exhibition also runs alongside the conference and those interested should contact the organisers quickly before the last week of this month to allow for Chilean customs clearance of goods.

 

 

 

As an incentive to book early, the association says the cost of registration fees up until April 1 are $500 for members and $650 for non-members and thereafter $700 for members and $850 for non-members. As for the hotel, the deadline for booking a room to obtain the ‘special ASUTIL group rate’ for those ‘who have already registered’ is May 15.

 

Currently, these rates are being quoted at $185 a night for a single room at the Sheraton Santiago and $195 for a double and $205 for a single on the Club Floor and $215 for a double.

 

For those wishing to stay in the San Cristobal Tower section, a single room costs $240 and a double $250. [ASUTIL adds that all taxes are exempt from room fees for ‘foreigners’].

 

For more information, the association’s contact details are: Inés Sisto Patrón, ASUTIL, Luis A. de Herrera 1248 WTC Torre A – Of. 201, 11.300, Montevideo, Uruguay. Tel: (598) 2623-1842. Fax: (598) 2628-2643. The ASUTIL website for this conference can be accessed by cicking here: http://conferencia2016.asutil.org/article/registrations-are-open/