In an exclusive video interview for the November/December e-zine, Chichi Maponya, Chairman of the Maponya Group and CEO of Africa Travel Retail, told TRBusiness why consumers are looking for authenticity from products in travel retail and that in the process of providing the local touch, some real ‘gems’ can be unearthed.

 

Click here to read the November/December e-zine.

 

At the second successful TR Consumer Forum, hosted by TRBusiness and m1nd-set in Cyprus this year, Chichi Maponya offered some insightful comments, aired from the floor with a handheld mic, which generated healthy debate at the time.

 

She spoke on the topic of offering locally manufactured or locally crafted products in travel retail, insisting that it is the responsibility of retailers and airports to ensure these companies benefit from this representation.

 

“I think when you look at the sense of place or the representation of local products, it should really not be seen as a tick box,” she elaborated in an exclusive video interview. “People are really looking for authenticity; they are looking for sincerity.”