TFWA Asia Pacific Conference 2026

Morning coffee break

Sponsored by:

Welcome from moderators

Welcome address by TFWA President

The TFWA Asia Pacific Conference 2026 opens with a vision for what lies ahead, as Sarah Branquinho, newly elected President of TFWA, reflects on the priorities shaping travel retail’s next chapter in the Asia Pacific region—defined by innovation, collaboration and renewed purpose.

Welcome remarks from APTRA President

To give a regional update, APTRA President Sunil Tuli will share insights on the association’s key projects and advocacy initiatives driving progress in the Asia Pacific travel retail sector.

Geopolitics & the next generation: Navigating growth in a changing world

As global tensions reshape trade routes, disrupt supply chains, and redraw the contours of consumer confidence, travel retail stands at the crossroads of geopolitics and economic reinvention. The opening keynote session will decode the forces reshaping mobility, spending power, and global travel patterns. 

In this wide-angle look at the world ahead, Singapore’s distinguished former diplomat and two-time Ambassador to the United Nations, Kishore Mahbubani, will explore how political realignments, shifting alliances, and emerging regional power blocs will influence business growth across Asia Pacific and beyond. What risks are already at our doorstep—and what opportunities will define the next generation of travel retail?

Networking coffee break

Coffee break sponsored by Lindt and charging stations sponsored by Skross:

Forward momentum: Powering the next travel retail experience

As technology reshapes consumer behaviour in real time, the question for travel retail is no longer whether to evolve, but how decisively. From AI and immersive digital touchpoints to smarter data and seamless omni-channel journeys, this session examines how innovation is redefining value creation—and raising the bar for customer experience. Drawing on a strategic lens, INSEAD Professor of Strategy Hyunjin Kim will explore the choices that will define competitive advantage, and what true future-readiness demands in an increasingly contested landscape.

Pivoting with purpose: Lessons from the culinary world

Food has always been a universal language—and increasingly, it’s becoming a central pillar of the travel experience. In this closing keynote, world-renowned chef Akira Back shares the philosophies, disciplines, and creative instincts that have shaped a global culinary career. 

But this isn’t just a story about cuisine. It’s about how food, hospitality, and shared moments can anchor the commercial offer of tomorrow’s airports and travel hubs. From sensory storytelling to menu innovation, from local flavour to global consistency, the session explores how principles from world-class kitchens can inspire more meaningful, memorable retail environments. 

A fitting finale to the day: an invitation to rethink travel retail not as a transaction, but as an experience—rooted in purpose, connection, and the joy of discovery.