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A t a time when attention, habits and decision-making are increasingly shaped by technology and constant connectivity, understanding why people behave the way they do has become essential for the industry seeking more meaningful relationships with travellers. In many ways, the fascinating address from Charles Duhigg, Bestselling author and journalist, The New Yorker, brought the conference full circle: reminding delegates that beyond geopolitics, mobility and infrastructure, the future of travel retail will ultimately be shaped by human behaviour itself. Duhigg talked about connection – specifically, howmuch of it is available in an airport, and howmeaningful it can be. “When I was reporting ‘Supercommunicators’, what surprised me most was that connection isn’t a personality trait,” he said. “It’s a skill, and it’s built on something fairly simple: recognising what the person in front of you needs from a conversation. Sometimes that conversation is practical – where’s my gate? But often, in an airport, it’s emotional. Someone is flying home for a funeral, or to meet a grandchild for the first time, or simply stressed by travel. Duty free staff meet people at a moment when almost nobody else is really looking at them, and when they need genuine help. 30 seconds of real attention is worth more than any promotion.” Technology, constant connectivity and the abundance of information are changing the way people make decisions and engage with brands. “Technology has made contact almost free,” Duhigg explained. “I can reach anyone, anywhere, instantly. But contact isn’t connection, and we’ve quietly confused the two. What the neuroscience suggests is that real connection is physical: when two people genuinely click, their bodies begin The future of travel retail will ultimately be shaped by human behaviour itself Yesterday’s TFWA World Conference closed by shifting focus from systems and spaces to something more deeply human. In an energetic, engaging and interactive address, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and bestselling author Charles Duhigg explored the forces shaping human performance, communication and behaviour – and how these shifts are influencing the consumer of the future. Charles Duhigg, Bestselling author and journalist, The New Yorker: “Technology has made contact almost free. I can reach anyone, anywhere, instantly. But contact isn’t connection, and we’ve quietly confused the two.” Tuesday 29 September 2026 18 T F W A D A I L Y