A sustainable Singapore summit

Post date

Wednesday 14 February 2024

This year’s TFWA Asia Pacific Exhibition & Conference (12-16 May in Singapore will see a fresh emphasis on environmental, social and governance (ESG) initiatives to reflect regional traveller attitudes.

High expectations

While sustainability has assumed growing significance for travellers in recent years, new research suggests it is now a core concern among Asia Pacific’s leading duty free shoppers.

Fully 81% of Chinese international passengers think it important to have reduced or eco-friendly packaging in DF&TR outlets, according to the latest TFWA / m1nd-set study of Chinese travel retail shopping behaviour.

That figure is substantially higher than the global average of 61%. Serious players in Asia Pacific duty free must be ready to meet such high expectations of their ESG strategy.

Venue selection

A key factor in TFWA’s choice of the Marina Bay Sands as venue for the DF&TR Asia Pacific summit is the MBS’s proactive approach to ESG matters. It is Singapore’s first carbon-neutral event venue, the only platinum-level venue for sustainability outside the US as certified by the Events Industry Council, and the entire Expo and Convention Centre is built to LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) platinum standards.

Beyond bricks and mortar (and the 536 solar panels on the roof generating energy for the property), the MBS takes practical steps like working with local fish farms and WWF Singapore to improve farming practices, using recycled PET for its bottled water and donating unserved food to The Foodbank Singapore.

Partners aligned

The focus on sustainability extends to the companies TFWA employs to help deliver the event on the ground. Kingsmen, the Singapore-based contractor that builds the Exhibition stands, specialises in the use of responsible materials like latex-free carpet, Forest Stewardship Council-approved wood and paint low in volatile organic compounds. Wherever possible, stands are reused for other events or their components are recycled. Event-management business Faces of Singapore helps organise TFWA’s social programme during the summit. They ensure energy-efficient LED lighting is used, event furniture is rented rather than bought and disposed of subsequently, single-use carpets are avoided and food menus prioritise locally sourced ingredients. Together with its local partners, TFWA is acting to make sustainability more than just a buzzword at this year’s Asia Pacific summit in Singapore.