TFWA Asia Pacific Exhibition & Conference
TFWA Asia Pacific Exhibition & Conference
Records broken at TFWA Asia Pacific Exhibition & Conference 2018 as attendance edges up yet again

The largest ever number of visitors attended the 23rd TFWA Asia Pacific Exhibition & Conference this week in Singapore. This year the event welcomed 3,194 visitors from the duty free and travel retail industry, a figure that is up 3% from 3,087 who attended the event in 2017, and from 2,905 in 2016.

These figures included representatives from 1,290 companies, up by 6% from 1,220 in 2017 and 1,186 in 2016. There were 2,534 delegates from duty free and travel retail operations, landlords and agents at this year’s event, which was the same number as last year. The number of representatives from just duty free and travel retailers this year was 1,105 compared to 1,053 in 2017, an increase of 5%. These came from 284 companies, compared with 266 in 2017, an increase of 6.8%.

The exhibition occupied a total 10,505m2, up from 10,254m2 in 2017. A total of 309 companies exhibited, and 53 of these were new exhibitors or those returning after a break. Among the newcomers were a raft of internationally renowned names and exciting up-and-coming brands.

A total of 405 meetings were arranged through the TFWA ONE2ONE meeting service, up 5% from 385 last year. Those registered included 42 airports, 44 airlines and inflight services, and 10 cruise and ferry companies.

The conference was also well attended, with 1,390 delegates hearing from a range of experts from the duty free and travel retail industry and beyond in the morning plenary session, which was up 4% from 1,332 in 2017. The afternoon workshops attracted a total of 871 delegates compared with 857 in 2017.

948 guests enjoyed the Welcome Cocktail at the stunning new location of the Gardens by the Bay. 580 attended the Chill-Out Party at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel and 725 came to the Singapore Swing Party at the JW Marriott Hotel.

“The dynamic growth we are seeing in the Asian duty free and travel retail market has once again been reflected in some truly impressive figures at this year’s TFWA Asia Pacific Exhibition & Conference,” said TFWA President, Erik Juul-Mortensen. “The feedback we have had from both exhibitors and delegates has been extremely positive. The consensus has definitely been that there are plenty of good reasons to be here this week, and much good business has been done.”