Julie Lassaigne, Secretary General, ETRC, reflects on 2025.

This year’s edition of the annual European Travel Retail Confederation (ETRC) Business Forum, which took place on 22 January in Amsterdam, attracted more than over 165 delegates from across the European duty free and travel retail channel.

TRBusiness was on location for event, which was held under the theme of ‘Protect, Persuade, Prosper’.

Sessions were designed to explore how the DF&TR sector in the region can help protect its operating environment, strengthen its voice and translate insight into practical responses amid increasing regulatory pressures, evolving consumer behaviour and the advancing technology impacting the travel experience.

A highlight was the discussion titled ‘Re-Enchanting Travel Retail’, which featured Luis Marin President & CEO Europe, Middle East and Africa, Avolta; Elias Liolios, Director of Commercial & Business Development, Hermes Airports; Martijn Steur, Vice-Chair of the ACI Europe Commercial Forum; and Joost Rosmuller, Vice President & Managing Director, World Travel Retail – Mondelēz International, who examined how to drive revenue growth for all stakeholders, inspire greater collaboration and enhance the customer experience.

Their conversation built upon the recently released study commissioned by ETRC from Sterling University on ‘Exploring and testing business models in travel retail’.

Nigel Keal, President of ETRC, imparted key messages to inspire action.

“This year’s Business Forum showed the value of bringing the industry together around clear data, shared experience and practical discussion,” said Nigel Keal, President of ETRC.

“As regulatory and market pressures increase, turning insight into action will depend on collaboration across the value chain and a coordinated, credible voice in support of European duty free and travel retail.”

Keynote speaker, economist and broadcasters, Dr Linda Yueh CBE, set the tone for the day by highlighting how geo-economics, geopolitics and rapidly advancing technology are reshaping the global landscape and influencing the outlook for European travel retail.

From L-R: Luis Marin President & CEO Europe, Middle East and Africa, Avolta; Joost Rosmuller, Vice President & Managing Director, World Travel Retail – Mondelēz International; Elias Liolios, Director of Commercial & Business Development, Hermes Airports; and Martijn Steur, Vice-Chair of the ACI Europe Commercial Forum.

Attention then turned to advocacy in practice, where speakers Benjamin Dillmann, Director General, Deutscher Travel Retail Verband (DTRV), Giacomo Moroni, Global Public Affairs Coordinator, Moët Hennessy; and Ricardo Oliveira, Senior Counsel, ETRC, shared successes and lessons learned from their own experiences, emphasising how closer coordination and collaboration among stakeholders can strengthen the channel’s ability to operate and grow.

The release of the ETRC Business Performance Index for Q3 2025, compiled exclusively for ETRC by Pi Insight with passenger data supported by ForwardKeys, demonstrated that the European airport duty free sector has continued to progress on a positive trajectory during the first three quarters of 2025, with total value sales of €7.63 billion, the equivalent to growth of 5.8% growth on YTD 2024.

Furthermore, unit sales were up +4.9% and passenger numbers rose by +5.4% during the quarter.

Unit sales showed progression of 4.9% on YTD 2024 and PAX showed growth of 5.4%, further strengthening the alignment trend across the three core metrics.

Average spend per passenger performed slightly above 2024 levels (+0.4% YoY). Additionally, there was positive growth across all major categories, with the exception of a marginal decline in spirits.

Stephen Hillam, Managing Director, Pi Insight, presented the ETRC Business Performance Index for Q3 2025.

The presentation of the ETRC Business Performance Index, by Stephen Hillam, Managing Director, Pi Insight, was followed by a discussion on growth drivers across key sales channels, with insights from Ahrens, Senior Vice President, Center Management, Vienna Airport; Fi Logan-Wyeth, Chief Commercial Officer, Retail inMotion; and Piret Mürk- Dubout, Management Board Member, Tallink, and Managing Director, Tallink Silja.

The Forum concluded with a session led by Lee Warren, who encouraged participants to consider how behavioural insight and influence can be applied more effectively in leadership and commercial decision-making.

See TRBusiness.com for our in-depth coverage.

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