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Post date
Wednesday 7 July 2021
When the industry’s flagship event, TFWA World Exhibition & Conference, makes its highly anticipated return to Cannes this year from 24 to 28 October, it will have a familiar feel. But expect some changes, too.
The late-October timing of duty free and travel retail’s global gathering this year may be new, giving delegates more time to prepare, but with over 200 exhibitors already confirmed and 10,000 square metres of Exhibition floorspace secured inside the Palais des Festivals, Cannes will seem reassuringly familiar to many. The presence of big brand names like Chanel, L’Oréal, Bacardi, Brown-Forman, Lacoste, Ermenegildo Zegna and Mondelez will add to that impression, as will the participation of major travel retailers such as DFS Group, Dufry, Lagardère Travel Retail, Gebr. Heinemann, Dubai Duty Free and Qatar Duty Free. There will be the usual opportunities to mix with colleagues and make new contacts, good news for industry professionals like Dufry Chief Commercial Officer Andrea Belardini who recently spoke of the event’s “huge networking benefits”. TFWA’s ONE2ONE meeting service will be on hand, too, to arrange in-person meetings for eligible companies.
An important part of the appeal that TFWA World Exhibition & Conference holds is its ability to adapt to change, whether in technology, traveller tastes or the commercial landscape. That flexibility will be evident again in 2021 as the event evolves in the light of the pandemic. Running from Sunday evening to Thursday afternoon, the format will be more compact, while an extended working day (08:30 to 18:30) will allow delegates to fit more into their schedules. TFWA i.lab goes 100% digital this year on the TFWA 365 platform, where the TFWA World Conference will be livestreamed, and where follow-up ONE2ONE meetings can be arranged up to 15 days after the event closes. The city of Cannes is working hard to provide a safe, business-ready environment with strict hygiene measures in hotels, restaurants and transport links.
The Palais offers a 24-hour medical concierge service including online consultations with general or specialist doctors, leaving delegates free to focus on getting the most from their time in Cannes.
Visitor pre-registration for TFWA World Exhibition & Conference 2021 is now open online at tfwa.com until 7 October. Pre-register here.
Take a look at what to expect in Cannes in 2021
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