Cannes moves up a gear

The signs were already positive back in April. With passenger traffic rebounding in many parts of the world and sales to travellers rising steadily, floor space bookings for the industry’s global gathering in Cannes were already approaching their 2021 total. That momentum has continued, big-name brands like Estée Lauder Companies, L’Oréal and Shiseido in beauty, Zegna and Lacoste in fashion, Nestlé and Mondelez in confectionery, Diageo and Pernod Ricard in wines & spirits plus JTI and Imperial Brands for tobacco all confirming their participation at TFWA World Exhibition & Conference in Cannes this October. The physical return of ideas and innovation showcase TFWA i.lab to the Palais des Festivals maintains the pace.


In keeping with the event’s increased footprint, TFWA’s Management Committee has agreed some additions to the networking programme. A Sunday-night opening cocktail on the Carlton Beach is planned from 7pm under the ‘Get Together’ name, an echo of the event that marked the official start to the Cannes week in pre-Covid times. And supplementing the early-evening ‘TFWA Lounge: after-work session’ (6:30pm to 9:00pm) where delegates mingle after the Exhibition doors close, a second, night-time session from 11pm to around 2am will be trialled from Monday to Wednesday, again on the Carlton Beach. These changes are designed to give delegates greater scope for expanding their contacts and growing their business.

While last year’s edition in Cannes marked a welcome return to in-person events, it was inevitably smaller in scale. This year’s growing list of exhibitors, enthusiastic visitor response since online registration opened in early June and expanded networking programme all point to a 2022 global summit up there with pre-Covid shows.

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