The Middle-East has become the standard-bearer for world-class duty free and luxury goods retailers and the region deserve a quality event to address the unique characteristics and challenges of this special market. Mark your calendar to attend MEDFA's first ever Middle East Duty Free Conference, managed by TFWA with the participation of Moodie International. This conference will draw all the key players in Middle East duty free and beyond, tackling the most critical problems facing this growing region. Make sure you are there! Erik Juul-Mortensen presentation "This impressive roster of 137 international companies was complimented by an equally impressive lineup of speakers," notes Erik Juul-Mortensen, president of Tax Free World Association (TFWA), which manages the annual conference on behalf of the Dubai-based Middle East Duty Free Association (MEDFA). TFWA helped form MEDFA in May 2001 and Juul-Mortensen provided opening remarks for the inaugural conference.
Gerard Collins presentation HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, president of Dubai Civil Aviation and chairman of Emirates Group, officially opened the conference. Keynote speaker Gerard Collins, MEP, addressed developments in EU-GCC political and economic relations. Dubai's director general of the Dept. of Economic Development, Mohammed Ali Alabbar, topped off the morning with a stunning statement about the critical need for modernisation and liberalisation in Middle East markets.
The first day's programme also included a panel of leading retailers who discussed the perceived and real challenges facing Middle East travel retail. While retailers were in general agreement, two debate teams at the end of the programme squared off over a rather controversial issue: whether the consumer is ignored in duty free. Editor of Duty Free Business, Doug Newhouse, argued brilliantly on behalf of the industry. In the end, however, arguments by Duty Free News Int'l editor Dermot Davitt and Abu Dhabi Duty Free deputy managing director Dan Cappell were judged superior by the audience.
Alpha Retail Middle East managing director Paul Topping, closed the first day's programme with a rather critical look at India, an emerging travel retail market closely aligned to the fortunes of Middle East duty free. Jonathan Barlowe and Doa'a Tahboub presentation The second day of the conference turned to addressing specific segments of the Middle East travel retail trade. The Middle East markets are dominated by young consumers and Jonathan Barlowe and Doa'a Tahboub of Travel Retail Markets Middle East opened the second day of the conference presenting fresh research gathered by their magazine on the GCC's youth market for international brands. John Sime presentation A dominant category in Middle East duty free, confectionery came under the spotlight during a panel discussion of suppliers. Representatives from Cadbury, Fererro, Masterfoods and Nestle analysed the success of confectionery and debated whether it was a role model for other categories.
The Dubai-based Emirates Airline, with its numerous awards, has certainly been a role model for inflight duty free trading. Emirates duty free manager John Sime argued that inflight duty free operators have never had so many opportunities and presented his views on how transparent retailer-supplier relations can maximise these opportunities. Shawgi Mushtag presentation Saudi Arabia is one of the true sleeping opportunities in the region's travel retail business. Shawgi Mushtag, general manager of Saudi Arabian Airlines' Skysales, and Patrick Chalhoub, managing director of the Chalhoub Group, discussed significant developments in domestic retailing, import tariffs and legislation that will drive new business for the duty free industry. Bob McFadyen presentation The second day's proceedings also offered an airport landlord's views on travel retail. Bob McFadyen, who heads retail operations for Sydney Airport, discussed his airport's business model for landlord-retailer relations and discussed the role that retail plays in an airport's commercialisation.
The conference concluded with a roundtable discussion among conference moderators Linda Hopkins and Martin Moodie and members of MEDFA's board of directors: John Sutcliffe, founding president; Anthony Chalhoub, founding secretary/treasurer; Mohammed Mounib, newly elected president and Andrew Ford, board director. Read the 2003 Conference programme | 
