MEADFA President Sherif Toulan was re-elected at the association’s AGM in April.

The 2023 Middle East & Africa Duty Free Association (MEADFA) Conference will take place in Accra, Ghana, on 19-21 November at the Kempinski Hotel Gold Coast City.

The event, managed by Tax Free World Association (TFWA), has been described by TFWA President Erik Juul-Mortensen as “a massive and important step away from the Middle East”.

It marks the first time that annual event is being hosted in West Africa.

“The Board of MEADFA has said for a long time that we must move into Africa and this is the first step,” said Juul-Mortensen.

“It will be exciting to be there in November.”

The TFWA President shared his comments during the 2023 TFWA Asia Pacific Exhibition & Conference in Singapore which, as reported, attracted a total of 3,029 visitors – 90% of 2019 levels.

“We are delighted to support our friends at MEADFA as it takes its annual conference to Sub-Saharan Africa for the first time,” said Juul-Mortensen. “We hope to see many of you in Ghana for this enjoyable and valuable event in November.”

The conference is being hosted by Dufry, which has a significant presence in Africa with operations in several countries across the continent, and is being organised in partnership with Ghana Tourism Development Company and the Government of Ghana.

“The tourism and travel retail industries in Ghana and neighbouring countries are developing rapidly, and we see it as our responsibility as an Association to help our members and business partners to realise Africa’s potential,” said Sherif Toulan, MEADFA President (who was recently re-elected to the new Board for the 2023-2025 term).

“With that in mind, staging our annual event in Ghana is a logical step, and we encourage all our members and regular conference delegates to join us for what promises to be an excellent event in a fascinating location.”

“We believe that Africa is an important market for the travel retail industry, and we are committed to supporting its growth and development,” added Isaias Diaz Garcia, Dufry General Manager Africa. “We look forward to welcoming our colleagues and working together to explore new opportunities and drive the industry forward.”

Sherif Toulan, President, MEADFA, added: “The MEADFA Board and I are delighted to be able to bring the MEADFA Conference to West Africa for the first time. The tourism and travel retail industries in Ghana and neighbouring countries are developing rapidly, and we see it as our responsibility as an association to help our members and business partners to realise Africa’s potential.

“With that in mind, staging our annual event in Ghana is a logical step, and we encourage all our members and regular conference delegates to join us for what promises to be an excellent event in a fascinating location.”

This article has been updated since it was first published on 15 May 2023.