TRBusiness launched its ‘Tobacco Power in Duty Free’ workshop video event at the TFWA Asia Pacific Exhibition & Conference in Singapore yesterday.

 

This major event was created to directly recognise the very important role that the tobacco sector plays in the duty free and travel retail industry, both as a footfall driver for multiple impulse purchases and increased customer penetration – and equally importantly, as a popular category in its own right.

 

However, the category is under major threat and this was only recently highlighted by ETRC in relation to the dramatic falls recorded in customer duty free spending levels across all categories in Australia, following the reduction of the inbound tobacco allowance one year ago.

 

Last week’s decision by the New Zealand Health Ministry to follow the Australian duty free allowance reduction ‘model’ from 200 cigarettes to 50 (from November 1) only underlines the growing threat to the category.

 

While referring to these developments, workshop participants also addressed concerns that increased regulation could spread to many other product categories, such as ingredient labelling, restrictions on product displays (liquor), and confectionery etc.

 

DISTINGUISHED PANEL

The six senior executive panellists at the workshop represented several different sectors from the business and included Colm McLoughlin, Executive Vice Chairman of Dubai Duty Free; Hans-Kristian Hoejsgaard, President & CEO Oettinger Davidoff AG; Jim Perry, Managing Director Travel Retail, Brown-Forman; Jaya Singh, President, Asia Pacific Travel Retail Association (APTRA); Garry Stasiulevicuis, Managing Director, Counter Intelligence Retail (CIR); and David Francis, General Manager and Vice President, JTI Worldwide Duty Free.

 

TRBusiness is very grateful to all of these individuals as well as TFWA for supporting the principle of the event (not directly financially) and JTI (Japan Tobacco International) for its sponsorship and leaving all editorial control of the event entirely in the hands of TRBusiness from start to finish.

 

The event – which has been a year in the making – was moderated by TRBusiness’ Charlotte Smith and Doug Newhouse and filmed by TRBusiness’ professional video partner Bluedog, who were specially flown in from the UK. The final film and transcripts of this unique event will be made available after the show.