The Central and Eastern European Travel Retail Association (CEETRA) has elected a new board of directors, and welcomed new members: retailer Baltona, spirits maker Mikrogorzelnia, and Fraport Slovenia.

Andrzej Milaszewicz from Lagardère Travel Retail Poland was re-elected as chairman for a further two years. 

Members also backed existing board members Nebojsa Cirjakovic (British American Tobacco), Christoph Stump (Gebr. Heinemann), Gyte Landreau (Pernot Ricard Travel Retail) and Alan Bork (ABARC). 

New to the board is Urška Binter from Fraport Slovenija, who serves as Ljubljana Airport’s head of commercial.

“I am both honoured and excited to be joining the board,” Binter said. “The association offers a great opportunity to exchange best practice and receive industry insights and can count on my energy and engagement to keep on growing.”

New members Przedsiębiorstwo Handlu Zagranicznego Baltona S.A., Mikrogorzelnia sp. z oo. and Fraport Slovenia d.o.o. were also welcomed to the association. 

The AGM also saw the 2024 budget agreed, which focuses on increasing both membership base and activities. 

In a 2023 review, Milaszewicz noted successful CEETRA meetings in Warsaw and Prague. “They not only brought the travel retail players of the region together but also became a showcase for local brands, who look to expand their presence in the region,” the association said in a statement.

He also noted improved communication via newsletter, and improvements to CEETRA’s website, currently in a testing stage.

The association has also worked “in alignment” with ETRC to engage with ministries and customs organisations. 

CEETRA represents travel retail and duty free companies in Albania, Austria, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Croatia, Hungary, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia and Ukraine.

It aims to protect, promote, and facilitate the industry in the region by supporting the trading environment for travel-related commerce.