The President of Petit Bateau and the former Vice President of Hermes International Christian Blanckaert is to make the keynote address at the TFWA Asia Pacific & GATE ONE2ONE Conference on Monday May 16.

Taking the overall conference theme of ‘Asia Pacific Inside Out’, he will discuss the business of luxury and offer insights into the success of luxury brands in the region.

He will be preceded by Erik Juul-Mortensen, TFWA President who will give an overview of the duty free and travel retail industry in Asia Pacific today, looking at recent performance and summarising both the opportunities and the challenges that lie ahead.

Retail industry ‘thought-leader’ Rohit Talwar, Ceo Fast Future will explore key opportunities and challenges facing the duty free sector in Asia Pacific markets over the next decade. 

He will also address global trends shaping the economic and consumer landscape, the pan-Asian consumer outlook, innovation and technology, and suggest practical steps for duty free and travel retail businesses facing changing circumstances.

ADDRESSING CHALLENGES
Finally, Sunil Tuli, President Asia Pacific Travel Retail Association, will summarise the challenges facing the industry in the Asia Pacific region and call for support for APTRA’s efforts to address them.

The opening plenary session will be followed by a choice of workshops which will address the reality and future prospects for duty free and travel retail in India, Japan and China as well as a workshop focusing on the value of partnerships. In line with 2010, TFWA is also planning an Industry Workshop. Details of all workshops will follow.

Meanwhile, TFWA is delighted to announce that the Diamond sponsor of the 2011 TFWA Asia Pacific & GATE ONE2ONE Conference is Qatar Duty Free, the Platinum sponsor is Ajmal and other sponsors are Ferrero and Perfetti van Melle.

Online pre-registration for the TFWA Asia Pacific & GATE ONE2ONE exhibition and conference, which runs from May 15 to 19 in the Singapore Suntec is now open. For more details visit www.tfwa.com”