The most memorable retail environments create a connection to culture, creativity and destination, says Hardcastle.

The travelling shopper has become “more intentional, more informed and, perhaps most importantly, more selective about where they place their attention” according to ‘The Customer Whisperer’ Kate Hardcastle MBE. Here’s what it means for travel retail…

Consumer behaviours and preferences are evolving at pace, but Kate Hardcastle MBE is well-placed to help brands and retailers stay a step ahead of the curve. The Science of Shopping author, who is internationally recognised as a powerful voice on consumer behaviour, trust and retail futures, is turning her attention to travel retail with a keynote address at the 2026 TR Consumer Forum, which saw her explore how operators and brands can increase profit, strengthen resilience, build trust and accelerate meaningful green progress through a more consumer-centric strategy.

On travelling shoppers being more selective, Hardcastle is quick to highlight that the shift is not unique to airports.

“It is a pattern I see across almost every sector I work in,” she told us in this exclusive interview. “Whether speaking with luxury hospitality groups, automotive brands, technology businesses or retailers, consumers are increasingly questioning value in a broader sense. They are not simply asking, ‘Can I afford this?’ They are asking, ‘Is this worth my time, my money and my attention?’”

Indeed, attention, says Hardcastle, has become one of the world’s most valuable currencies.

“The environment is operating against a very different backdrop than it was even a decade ago. The consumer arriving at the terminal today has often completed much of their decision-making journey before they arrive.”

What fascinates ‘The Customer Whisperer’ is that while consumers are more digitally connected, they’re simultaneously seeking more meaningful experiences.

“Across sectors, we’re seeing a growing demand for wellbeing, authenticity, expertise and experiences that genuinely add value,” she said. “As somebody who spends a significant amount of time travelling internationally, I see a tremendous opportunity here.

“Travel itself has become part of people’s wellbeing journey. Consumers are thinking more carefully about sleep, nutrition, movement, recovery, mindfulness and managing the stresses that inevitably come with modern travel. The question is no longer simply what can be sold during a journey. It is how brands can contribute positively to that journey.

“Consumers do not wake up wanting to buy from a category. They wake up wanting to solve a problem, improve an experience or create a memory. The organisations that understand that distinction will be far better placed to earn both attention and spend.”

The Customer Whisperer Kate Hardcastle MBE delivering her keynote speech at the TR Consumer Forum 2026.

Building strong ecosystems

Travel retail is one of the few environments where brands, airports, airlines and retailers can collectively influence the customer experience. However, too often these stakeholders operate in silos, limiting the impact they could potentially achieve together.

“The strongest ecosystems understand something very simple: the traveller experiences one journey, not multiple organisations,” said Hardcastle. “Consumers do not separate the airline from the airport, the airport from the retailer or the retailer from the brand. They remember whether the experience felt seamless, relevant and worthwhile. Consumers experience journeys. Businesses experience organisational charts.”

As she points out, airlines understand behaviour, airports understand movement, retailers understand purchasing patterns, brands understand aspiration and preference.

“The challenge is that those insights often remain disconnected.”

She continued: “I believe one of the most exciting opportunities emerging lies in partnerships that extend beyond traditional boundaries. Imagine airlines, airports, hospitality groups, wearable technology companies and wellbeing brands working together around a shared goal of helping travellers arrive feeling better, not simply carrying more shopping bags.

“The organisations creating the greatest value in the future will be those willing to build bridges rather than defend territory.”

Can’t or won’t spend?

DF&TR stakeholders are acutely aware of the disconnect between rising traffic numbers and falling spend per passenger (SPP), but one of the biggest misconceptions in business today, according to Hardcastle, is that consumers have become unwilling to spend.

“Of course we are midst a cost-of-living crisis, navigating geo-political crisis and ever-increasing value scrutiny from consumers. But we know they are investing in luxury hospitality, premium beauty, exceptional dining experiences, wellness retreats and experiential travel every day,” she said. “What has changed is the level of scrutiny that comes before the purchase.”

Key to this is the notion that premium level purchasing is moving from ownership to meaning.

“The growth of resale tells us something important. Nearly 60% of global consumers now engage with resale, rising above 70% in some markets, while luxury resale has grown into a $41 billion market,” she reasoned.

“Even affluent consumers are evaluating purchases through a broader lens. They are considering longevity, usefulness, sustainability and future value alongside immediate desire. Consumers want to understand the craftsmanship behind a product, the expertise behind it and increasingly the values behind it.”

This is where expertise, storytelling and human interaction become powerful commercial tools.

Kate Hardcastle MBE with TRBusiness’ Faye Bartle during a fireside chat at the TR Consumer Forum 2026.

Greatest untapped opportunity?

In an era where consumers can buy almost anything online, physical retail environments can capitalise the ability to create a genuine sense of place.

“One of the strongest shifts I am observing, particularly among younger consumers, is a growing appetite for authenticity,” she said. “We live in a world where products, content and experiences can feel remarkably similar wherever we happen to be. That is making local identity more valuable.

“The most memorable environments do not simply showcase products. They create a connection to culture, creativity and destination. They give people a feeling for where they are.”

From local craftsmanship to regional ingredients, emerging designers, cultural stories and experiences rooted in place – all of this creates a level of engagement that cannot easily be replicated online.

Ultimately, Hardcastle believes that the greatest untapped opportunity in engaging travelling shoppers is helping people arrive better than they departed.

“That may sound simple, but it represents one of the most profound consumer shifts I have seen during my career,” she said. “Across beauty, hospitality, healthcare, technology and food, wellbeing is no longer a niche category. It has become a central organising principle in how consumers make decisions. People are paying greater attention to sleep, energy, nutrition, movement, recovery and stress management than at any point in my career.

“Travel influences every one of those things. Yet too much of the conversation still focuses on what can be sold rather than what can be improved.

“The future is not selling more wellness. It is reducing stress. This is not simply about adding more products to shelves. It is about creating experiences that actively support the traveller. Better rest. Better hydration. Better nutrition. Better recovery. Less friction. More confidence.”

The catch is that no single organisation can deliver that alone.

“Airports, airlines, hospitality providers, retailers, technology partners and brands all influence how somebody feels throughout a journey,” she stressed. “Consumers rarely remember who owned each part of the experience. They remember how the experience left them feeling. Helping people arrive better than they departed may prove to be one of the most commercially valuable opportunities of the next decade.”

This feature first appeared in the June 2026 issue of TRBusiness magazine. Click here to read. 

Visit TRConsumerForum.com to find out more about the TR Consumer Forum 2026 – and our on-location reporting at TRBusiness.com

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