The International Association of Airport Duty Free Stores (IAADFS) will adopt a revised timetable in 2023 when the Summit of the Americas returns to the Palm Beach County Convention Center in West Palm Beach, Florida.

IAADFS plans to build on the programme running from 19-21 April 2023 following the success of the 2022 Summit of the Americas, which drew 866 delegates.

The traditional opening cocktail will be held on Tuesday 18 April with exhibit booths and private meeting rooms open to visitors from Wednesday 19 April through Friday 21 April.

“While we went with a different format for 2022 for exhibits, survey feedback shows that attendees and exhibitors are looking forward to to a return to a more conventional exhibit hall layout for 2023, so we’ll be working on that plan for next year,” commented Michael Payne, President and CEO, IAADFS.

REQUESTS FOR SPACE IN AUG/SEPT

Requests for exhibit and meeting room spaces for next year is anticipated to begin in August or September this year, confirms IAADFS, with registration and housing to open shortly thereafter.

While a return to a more traditional exhibition format is planned, IAADFS says it intends to continue providing ‘some level of content sessions’ plus ‘multiple opportunities for valuable networking time’.

TRBusiness contributed to a busy educational programme this year by hosting a special Americas edition of the TR Consumer Forum in collaboration with partner m1nd-set.

Commenting on this year’s programme, Payne said: “Although 2022 attendance was obviously less than pre-pandemic levels, attendees and exhibitors alike commented favourably about the event – about the quality of attendees, the quality of exhibitors, and how prepared buyer attendees were to conduct business.”

René Riedi, Board Chairman, IAADFS, added: “We were pleased with the result of the 2022 Summit. “We’ve received good feedback about the 2022 event, both in-person and through surveys conducted with attendees and exhibitors, and we’re looking forward to building on this success for 2023.”

To watch a video interview with IAADFS President and CEO Michael Payne in the March/April e-zine, click here.