An in-depth look at two key travel retail locations in the Middle East region, both with renewed commercial offers: Muscat and Amman. With Muscat Duty Free General Manager Rob Marriott and Airport International Group Chief Commercial Officer Deema Anani.

Growing disposable income across Africa is expected to drive travel demand in the years ahead. How do travellers from this vast, diverse continent perceive the current duty free offer? And how does their behaviour differ from that of travellers in other regions?

Delegates will hear highlights of a new study commissioned by TFWA and conducted by m1nd-set to explore traveller behaviour among key African nationalities, plus the latest travel trends across the continent. Presenting the findings will be the authors of the study, m1nd-set Founder and CEO Dr. Peter Mohn and Project and Business Development Manager Anna Marchesini, while Dufry Africa CEO Isabel Zarza will provide a retailer’s perspective on travel retail in key African markets today.

Customers today expect more from brands than just product, and shoppers in the Middle East and Africa are no different. Issues such as sustainability and well-being are increasingly influential in the choices consumers make. How are our market’s leading brands adapting to this fundamental change in customer behaviour? This session will feature some of the travel retail industry’s leading brand-owners to explain how they are changing their approach to remain relevant.

This session will feature John McDonnell, Managing Director International of Tito’s Handmade Vodka, and Karl Marnane, Director of Sales at Butlers Chocolates.

The new generation of travelling consumers have the latest tech gadgets in their palms, are hyper-connected, and eager to embrace innovation. Brands and retailers must reassess their plans and transform the way to communicate, connect and market with one of the fastest growing consumer markets in the world. This session will hear from leading social media strategist Andrew Davis on how companies catering to travellers can better engage with the digital native generation.

As the range of food and beverage options in airports becomes wider amid increasing traveller spend, what lessons can duty free & travel retail learn from the sector? And how are leading airports harnessing the cross-selling opportunities that exist? Featuring Dubai Airports Executive Vice President, Commercial Eugene Barry and MMI Emirates Leisure Retail Group CEO Andrew Day.

Amid turbulent times in the airline industry, what does the short- and long-term future hold for airlines in the Middle East? And how might airlines be encouraged to work with other aviation and commercial stakeholders to improve spend per passenger for the benefit of all? One of the region’s longest serving airline executives and former CEO of Royal Jordanian, Gulf Air and SaudiGulf Airlines, Samer Majali, will offer an expert view on the aviation outlook in the region.