The Asia Pacific Travel Retail Association (APTRA) has re-elected Sunil Tuli as President.

Two new board members – Lacoste (Erin Lillis) and the Australian Duty Free Association (Richard Goodman) – were also elected today during the association’s AGM, which was held via webinar with an audience of members representing brands and retailers from across the region.

“It’s a great honour to be re-elected as President of APTRA and I am delighted to welcome Lacoste represented by Erin Lillis and the Australian Duty Free Association represented by Richard Goodman to the APTRA board,” commented Tuli.

“Their experience and perspective will be of great value as APTRA helps our members through the current crisis and to explore and shape the future opportunities in travel retail.

“Although the industry has been shattered by the impact of the pandemic, the entire APTRA board believes 100% in the future of travel retail and, once conditions permit, this industry will rebound with Asia Pacific leading the charge. This is a young, dynamic, ambitious region that is also highly resilient. We have dozens of countries with young, aspirational populations and that is the core driver that will take us from recovery ultimately back to growth, once sustained travel can re-start.”

The full APTRA board is made up of the following:

Changi Airport Group – Teo Chew Hoon

Auckland International Airport – Lucy Thomas

Delhi Duty Free – Nuno Amaral

Chanel – Fabrice Hochet

Japan Tobacco International – Pan Har Ying (Treasurer)

Lindt – Gabriela Steiner-Zajax (Secretary)

Lacoste – Erin Lillis

Distell – Luke Maga

King Power – Sunil Tuli

Kansai Airport – Stephane Geffroy

Australian Duty Free Association – Richard Goodman

Tax Free World Association – Sam Gerber

During the AGM, attendees heard about APTRA’s activities and financial reporting.

Last year, the association ramped-up its advocacy efforts by delivering seven campaigns and several country-specific campaigns directly aimed at seeking economic support/recovery measures as a result of the pandemic.

APTRA’s principal objective remains to ensure travel retail is able to trade normally when borders reopen.

In 2020, lobbying continued across core categories including tobacco and alcohol, with a new APAC alcohol working group featuring eight key brand members formed in September.

The working group is designed as a platform for knowledge and information sharing as the tobacco category in particular remains under notable threat with the second session of the Meeting of the Parties to the Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products (MOP2) taking place in The Hague in November.

Elsewhere, the association launched The APTRA Advocacy report that summarises key issues around regulations and the possible impact on duty free categories.

Plus, the Covid Regional Update Report came to the fore. It permits members to gain the latest updates on travel, border controls, opening and political developments.

The APTRA Exchange was held in October and acted as an online opportunity for brands, retailer an airports to discuss and debate ‘Trinity Through a Crisis’.