The International Association of Airport and Duty Free Stores (IAADFS) has shared preliminary information on the conference agenda planned for the 2022 Summit of the Americas (10-13 April).

As reported, the regional event will take place at the Palm Beach County Convention Center, West Palm Beach, Florida.

It will mark the return of the Summit of the Americas in a physical format for the first time in two years after it took place in a virtual format in 2021.

ASUTIL is not partnering with IAADFS for this year’s Summit of the Americas and will instead be a ‘content partner’ within the educational programme.

TR CONSUMER FORUM – AMERICAS SPECIAL

The conference sessions (see below) will run throughout Monday April 11 and Tuesday April 12, giving delegates the flexibility to enjoy valuable learning opportunities in addition to the usual mix of business networking.

Last year, TRBusiness hosted the second instalment of the Travel Retail Sustainability Forum during the Summit of the Americas (to view the session, click here).

At this year’s Summit of the Americas, TRBusiness and m1nd-set will deliver a regional special edition of the hugely successful TR Consumer Forum (further details to follow).

The 90-minute session will take place at 09:00 – 10:30 (local time) on Tuesday 12 April and will feature the latest consumer research and traffic forecasts courtesy of m1nd-set, plus a high-powered discussion with perspectives from the likes of Aer Rianta International North America General Manager Jackie McDonagh and Dufry South America Sub Cluster General Manager Enrique Urioste.

Participation in the Summit of the Americas conference programme is open to all registered attendees, with IAADFS due to finalise the speaker lineup in due course.

“We are very pleased with the engagement of our content partners and their efforts to develop valuable and interesting sessions for attendees,” said IAADFS President and CEO Michael Payne. “The sessions are designed not just to deliver impactful information but also to encourage dialogue and engagement form the audience.”

MORE THAN ONE THIRD OF SPACE BOOKED

In a statement, Payne took the opportunity to pay thanks to those key suppliers that have committed to the summit to date.

“We appreciate those suppliers who have confirmed their participation in the 2022 Summit, and we know from speaking with a number of suppliers and buyers that there is a lot of excitement about coming together for an in-person Summit,” he continued.

“To date more than 40% of available space is booked, and we’ve seen a marked increase in interest among suppliers during the past two weeks. We’ll provide exhibitor information in the coming weeks.”

Further details on the social activities was not available in the statement from the association, but it notes that the summit ‘will adhere to all safety protocols and best practices in implementing the programme and social activities’.

“No one is certain what the situation will be in April, but all federal, state and/or local requirements impacting health and safety protocols will be followed, including any directives regarding vaccinations, masking and/or social distancing,” added IAADFS.

More information on the precise timings and dates for the below conference sessions at the 2022 Summit of the Americas, plus details on registration and housing, can be accessed via the event website by clicking here.

CONFERENCE SESSIONS