cannes_2024_TUESDAY_ISSUE

‘Reimagining’ of travel retail should be based on a broad understanding of international travellers “Retailing is becoming more digital and technological in a multitude of ways” Ian Cesa, President, Horizon Consumer Science, is participating in this morning’s Reimagining Travel Retail Workshop. Ahead of the event, he shared some thoughts with the TFWA Daily. C ovid has had a profound effect on travelling consumer behaviour in the sense that travellers are more cognisant of the fact that international travel is a privilege that should not be taken for granted. Ian Cesa, President, Horizon Consumer Science, shares that, to understand the impacts, it is important to understand what was going on well before Covid. “Some changes were already underway – growth in purchases of chocolate, confectionery and other packaged food products and growth in planning of purchases before leaving home,” he explains. “But others, such as growth in a ‘cultural explorer’ shopping orientation, purchases of alcohol, a preference for shopping at grocery stores, supermarkets etc are clearly impacted dramatically by Covid. “Further, since Covid, some of these changes are sustained, and some are on their way back to where they were before, such as general perceptions of airport duty free as a place to shop.” In general, Cesa notes, the effective ‘reimagining’ of travel retail should be based on a broad understanding of international travellers as travellers, including an understanding of what their shopping motivations, preferences and perceptions are across their whole trip, not just based on what might trigger them to purchase in airports. T his morning’s Reimagining Travel Retail Workshop will hear an update from Airports Council International (ACI)’s specialist committee on Airport Non-Aeronautical Revenues and Activities (ANARA). Andrew Ford, Managing Partner, Paccaya Resources Ltd, and Chairman, ANARA, will share three key messages: • “Travel retail changed post-Covid and during the revenge travel period and is now dramatically further changing particularly in Asia. Not just passenger profiles, but also the structure of the travel retail industry.” • “Apart from changing customer desires, retailing is becoming more digital and technological in a multitude of ways.” • “ANARA is at the forefront of ACI World’s development of initiatives in the areas of non-aeronautical businesses.” The workshop will feature key ANARA updates. Alongside Ford, Ian Cesa, President, Horizon Consumer Science, will share profile information, and Isabel Zarza, CEO, Avolta Southern Europe, will present retail digital information. “It will be a fast-paced 30-minute session with plenty of information for travel retail stakeholders to benefit from – and hopefully some time for Q&A,” says Ford. This year has been one of the most productive in ANARA’s history. It is gearing up for its second in-person meeting in Ho Chi Minh City on 4 November, followed by an ANARA session at the Trinity Forum on 6 November, where key advancements for the year will be presented. “These include five new publications on topics such as sustainability, digitalisation, ground access, airport lounges, and passenger tracking, which are either developed, in progress, or set for release by Q1 2025,” Ford adds. Ian Cesa, President, Horizon Consumer Science: “Digital touchpoints are impacting consumers more in terms of their ability to plan their shopping than in their desire to do everything digitally.” Andrew Ford, Managing Partner, Paccaya Resources Ltd, and Chairman, Airport Non-Aeronautical Revenues and Activities Committee, Airports Council International World (ANARA ACI World): “Travel retail changed post-Covid and during the revenge travel period and is now dramatically further changing particularly in Asia. Not just passenger profiles, but also the structure of the travel retail industry.” Tuesday 1 Oc tobe r 2024 20 T F W A D A I L Y