Thomas Henningsen, Partner, Blueprint.

VIDEO ▶️: Rising passenger numbers, a growing appetite for food & beverage (F&B) and demand for e-commerce – likely powered by AI shopping technology – are key growth drivers for the duty-free and travel retail (DF&TR) industry, according to Thomas Henningsen, Partner, Blueprint.

In this interview filmed on location at the TFWA Asia Pacific Exhibition & Conference in Singapore earlier this month, inside the new Taste of the World platform, Henningsen spoke about the “mismatch” between what is being delivered on the ‘shop floor’ and what today’s travelling shoppers are expecting.

“Our legacy is built around tax-free and duty-free shopping. I believe the value proposition will play a much smaller role going forward and what we need to do is proactively adapt to a world that is changing so rapidly,” he explained.

Tomorrow’s shoppers, he says, will be much more influenced by social commerce, conscious consumerism, AI-powered shopping technology and social media. Moving forward, he believes this will lead to a higher share of travel retail sales taking place before the passengers hit the shops.

Hit play on the video below to hear more of his thoughts on the power of experience-driven shopping, and the ways in which it may evolve – including how the rise of F&B is ideally positioned to help unlock a more more emotional, immersive and personalised travel retail experience for passengers…

Henningsen is speaking at the TR Consumer Forum in Geneva (1-3 July). He is taking to the stage for an Over To You – Live session on Friday 3 July to lay out his ‘inconvenient predictions’ for the travel retail industry via a 15-minute talk.

Titled ‘Inconvenient Predictions: Tomorrow’s Airport Shoppers Will Not Wait’ (15:40-15:55), the session will take a deep dive into how travellers’ shopping behaviour is changing faster than the industry serving them.

Henningsen will draw upon Blueprint’s ‘inconvenient predictions’ exploring how airports, operators and brands must reinvent experiences, partnerships and value capture over the coming years, or risk losing relevance.

Henningsen is then joining a panel discussion titled ‘Presentation & Panel: Travel Retail Vision 2030’ (15:55-16:55), which will present forward-looking scenarios linking air traffic evolution with consumer transformation.

Early bird tickets are available until this Friday 29 May (17:30 UTC) and a special discounted rate is available for Forum delegates at the preferred hotel, the Crowne Plaza Hotel Geneva by IHG, on a first-come, first-served basis, until Sunday 31 May only. Visit TRConsumerForum.com to find out more.

READ NEXT: China’s outbound travellers are changing; knowing their nuances is key

READ NEXT: Masi: Consumers are drinking less, but drinking ‘better’

READ NEXT: Today’s travellers seeking authenticity, craftsmanship and mindful drinks

READ NEXT: Bateel: Leverage luxury gifting to solve category fatigue in travel retail

READ NEXT: TFWA APEC: Market Watch India spotlights emerging TR opportunity

RAED NEXT: Brown-Forman on profitability, strategic pricing & reaching the new generation

READ NEXT: Raconteur on designing cruise retail experiences that empower guests

READ NEXT: TFWA APEC 2026 welcomes 2,814 visitors; dates revealed for 2027

READ NEXT: TFWA APEC: Ricola targets regional growth with Kuala Lumpur hub

READ NEXT: Mars Wrigley ITR brings M&M’S Experience concept to Asia at KLIA

READ NEXT: TFWA APAC: Cartwright & Butler targets Asia growth after strong GTR year

READ NEXT: TFWA APAC: Valrhona & Villars sharpen focus on Asia gifting & self-indulgence

READ NEXT: APAC’s $120 duty-free beauty customer: What they’re seeking and how to deliver