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TFWA Asia Pacific Lounge Product Distribution “Snacking”: Par tners and sponsors Conference Official Host & Partners Networking TFWA Asia Pacific Lounge Product Distribution: Official Host: Changi Airport Group – Master Logo Full Colour Positive CMYK CMKY C:0.0 M:20.0 Y:30.0 K:70.0 CMKY C:0.0 M:20.0 Y:100.0 K:0.0 CMKY C:0.0 M:100.0 Y:90.0 K:0.0 CMKY C:60.0 M:100.0 Y:10.0 K:0.0 Held in Singapore: Supported by: Diamond: Platinum: TFWA Asia Pacific Lounge Main Partner SQUARE FORMAT SQUARE FORMAT Welcome Coffee: Networking Coffee: ARTISANAL GIN Charging Stations: A s one of the most dynamic regions in the industry, Asia Pacific o ff ers unparalleled opportunities for innovation in travel retail. With a new generation of travellers seeking seamless, personalised, and meaningful interactions, the industry must evolve by embracing cu tt ing-edge technology and reimagining customer experiences. In a truly engaging address to yesterday’s TFWA Asia Pacific Conference, Ibrahim Ibrahim, Managing Director, Portland Design, discussed the lessons airports can learn from retail and brands in the domestic market. He highlighted the four pillars of ‘Future Readiness’ and how these might apply to travel retail. “These are ‘Fast’ (hyper-convenience), ‘Slow’ (hyper-physical, immersive experiences), ‘Local’ (place-specific, localised), and ‘Belong’ (values- driven, community-focused),” Ibrahim explained. He also shared insights into what might constitute future airport commercial o ff ers beyond retail and food. “In the domestic market, we are seeing the growth of leisure, health and wellness, learning and co-working in retail destinations, howmight this impact airports?” Future revenue beyond turnover based models was another key theme of Ibrahim’s address. “As more brands use physical space to recruit and retain customers with compelling experiences, they will behave like media platforms, and future revenue models will be based on the media impressions that those experiences drive.” In terms of the cu tt ing-edge technologies that the travel retail industry must embrace to reimagine customer experiences, Ibrahim emphasised “anything that makes the customer experience more intuitive, faster and less stressful.” He further highlighted some of the key strategies Portland Design uses to future-proof retail spaces: Ibrahim Ibrahim, Managing Director, Portland Design: “As more brands use physical space to recruit and retain customers with compelling experiences, they will behave like media platforms.” • “Deep understanding of the audience and the cultural trends that will drive their behaviour and expectation in the future.” • “Imbue the design with programmability and flexibility to ensure the airport is agile enough to react to rapidly changing expectations of brands and consumers.” • “Help airports with strategies that shift them from being merely responsive, to being predictive.” Returning to the dynamic Asia Pacific market, Ibrahim noted that its consumers have very high expectations, which pushes brands to deliver beyond the ordinary. “Asia Pacific domestic retail is very innovative and tries to push the boundaries, this presents many opportunities for airports.” Future-ready travel retail Tuesday 1 3 May 2025 10 T F W A D A I L Y