TFWA visitor numbers down
In closing this year’s TFWA World Exhibition & Conference, president Erik Juul-Mortensen told a press conference that despite the challenges the duty-free industry had faced, the atmosphere was still upbeat.
6,443 visitors representing 2,948 companies attended the event, down two percent and three percent respectively from the 6,558 visitors representing 3,026 companies who attended last year’s event.
However, according to a TFWA press note, the number of visitors from the key categories of duty-free operators, travel retail operators, landlords and agents was up from 4,584 representing 1,788 companies last year, to 4,625 representing 1,811 companies this year.
The TFWA World Exhibition and Conference was held at the Palais des Festivals, Cannes, France, on October 2-7.
‘The exhibition occupied a total of 22,475.55 m2 space, up 2.9 percent compared to 2015 at 21,840 m2,’ the press note said ‘This year there were 492 exhibiting brands on 472 stands, including 10 official boats in Harbour Village. This is an increase of 2.1 percent compared to last year when there were 482 exhibiting brands on 462 stands. For the first time this year, Beach Village featured two marquees. 59 of this year’s exhibitors were new or returning companies.’
The conference was attended by a record 1,634 delegates, an increase of 8.6 percent on the figure for 2015.Opening the proceedings, Juul-Mortensen said that there were reasons for cautious optimism, but likened himself to former British prime minister Harold Wilson, who said that he was an optimist who always carried an umbrella.
The TFWA Product Showcase containing press information on brands exhibited at the show will remain live for one month after the end of the show and can be accessed at: www.tfwaproductshowcase.com.