TFWA World Exhibition & Conference 2026 Combines Record Attendance with Meaningful Industry Connections

TFWA World Exhibition & Conference 2026 has set a new attendance record for the second consecutive year, welcoming 8,011 visitors from 185 countries to Cannes

TFWA World Exhibition & Conference 2026 brought together leading brands, retailers, transport operators, border stores and business partners from 27 September to 1 October for a week of business, insight and exchange. Duty-free and travel retail operators, along with agents and distributors, accounted for 65% of visitors. The event welcomed a geographically diverse audience, with 56% of visitors coming from Europe, followed by Asia-Oceania (17%), the Middle East (12%), the Americas (11%) and Africa (4%).

The exhibition featured 482 exhibiting companies across 26,266m^²of exhibition space, with many of the world’s leading travel retail brands joined by 54 new exhibitors making their Cannes debut.

A forum for business and exchange

Business meetings remained a key feature of the event, with the ONE2ONE meeting service facilitating nearly 2,000 meetings between exhibitors and industry professionals across the week..

Commenting on this week’s meetings, Greg Ford, General Manager Travel Retail Americas Pernod Ricard and newly elected TFWA Management Committee Member, commented: 

‘TFWA World Exhibition & Conference remains an important opportunity to strengthen existing relationships and explore new business opportunities. The quality of meetings this year has been particularly encouraging, with constructive discussions and valuable exchanges that will help shape our priorities for the year ahead.’ 

The conference and workshop programme drew engaged audiences. The opening TFWA World Conference welcomed 1,517 attendees and featured a State of the Industry address by TFWA President Sarah Branquinho, alongside perspectives from leading international speakers and industry experts. Four workshops attracted a combined total of 278 attendees, exploring key issues facing the sector through focused discussion and knowledge-sharing. 

Reflecting on the quality of this year’s workshops, Charlène Tourneaux, TFWA Managing Director, said:

‘It has been a real pleasure to experience my first TFWA World Exhibition & Conference edition as TFWA Managing Director and to take an active part in the workshop programme as a moderator. The quality of the speakers and discussions throughout the week has been particularly encouraging, with valuable insights into the opportunities and challenges facing our industry. Our aim is to ensure delegates leave with fresh perspectives and practical ideas they can take back to their businesses. The level of engagement this year reinforces the importance of creating opportunities for the industry to learn from one another.’

Innovation and new ideas

Thursday’s Start-Up Day, supported by Mondelēz, placed emerging businesses in the spotlight as part of TFWA World Exhibition & Conference 2026’s focus on innovation. The initiative gave 10 companies international exposure and opportunities to meet industry professionals, reflecting TFWA’s commitment to adapting the event to the needs of its members and participants. 

Stéphanie Hourlay, Sales Director at Levita Magic, shared: 

‘It has been a fantastic experience to take part in Start-Up Day and share our vision with the travel retail community. We’ve had some really encouraging conversations at TFWA World Exhibition & Conference and are excited about the possibilities for bringing more creativity and innovation to the in-store experience.’

New TFWA Management Committee and Board elected

During the event, TFWA also announced the election of its new Management Committee and Board for 2026–2028, with representatives from 40 companies spanning the duty free and travel retail industry. The Management Committee was elected on 30 September, followed by the appointment of the new Board on 1 October, both serving a two-year mandate. The Board is composed of: 

• Jean-Pierre Bombet, Spa Development / Be Relax, as Vice-President Finance 
• Priscilla Haibe de Walque, Payot, as Vice-President Corporate (newly elected) 
• Irene Giatra, Estée Lauder Companies, as Vice-President Commercial (newly elected) 
• Alessio Crivelli, EssilorLuxottica, as Vice-President Marketing 
• Sam Gerber, WorldConnect, as Vice-President Conference & Research

To view the full list of members of the new Management Committee, click here

Networking across Cannes

As always, a robust programme of networking events provided opportunities for delegates to connect beyond the exhibition floor. The Opening Cocktail at Carlton Beach welcomed over 3,000 guests, while the TFWA Lounge attracted more than 2,700 visitors on its final evening, rounding off a week of after-work and night-time sessions. 

Commenting on the networking opportunities, Irene Giatra, Vice President of Global Client Management at The Estée Lauder Companies and newly elected TFWA Vice-President Commercial, said:

‘TFWA World Exhibition & Conference is about much more than what happens on the exhibition floor. It is one of the rare occasions when our industry comes together in one place, creating invaluable opportunities to reconnect with long-standing colleagues, strengthen existing relationships and forge new ones. The energy at the Opening Cocktail and the TFWA Lounge throughout the week has really reflected this. In an industry built on relationships, these informal conversations are often where new ideas, partnerships and opportunities begin.’

Purpose beyond business

Alongside its business and networking programme, TFWA World Exhibition & Conference 2026 placed a strong emphasis on social impact and the role the industry can play in supporting wider causes.

The fourth edition of ‘Yes We Cannes!’ Handisport, organised by TFWA and Stade Toulousain Handisport in partnership with m1nd-set, and well-supported, championed inclusion and accessibility through adaptive sport.

Delegates took part in #KickCancerThon, an initiative launched by The Moodie Davitt Report, cycling on stationary bikes outside the Palais des Festivals. TFWA pledged to donate €10 for every kilometre cycled, prompting an enthusiastic response from delegates. In total, 1,502 km were completed – roughly the equivalent of the distance from Cannes to Lisbon – with TFWA contributing €15,022 towards cancer research at The Royal Marsden Hospital. One energic cyclist topped the individual rankings, covering an impressive 150 km.

Looking ahead

With more than 8,000 visitors, TFWA World Exhibition & Conference 2026 demonstrated the continued importance of bringing the global travel retail community together to do business, share knowledge and respond collectively to a rapidly changing industry.TFWA looks forward to welcoming the industry back to Cannes for the next edition of TFWA World Exhibition & Conference, taking place from 3 to 7 October 2027. And, following the renewal of TFWA’s partnership agreement with SEMEC, formally signed in Cannes on 28 September, the city will remain the home of TFWA World Exhibition & Conference for at least a further three years, from 2027.

Sarah Branquinho, TFWA President said: 

‘Having attended TFWA World Exhibition & Conference for 42 years in various roles, it has been a privilege to experience this edition for the first time as TFWA President. Setting a new attendance record for the second consecutive year is particularly encouraging and reflects the enduring importance of this event to our global industry. Beyond the numbers, the quality of engagement throughout the week is a reminder of what we can achieve when we come together. 

As we look ahead to 2027, our focus must remain on turning the growth in global travel into sustainable growth for travel retail. This will require continued collaboration, fresh thinking and a shared commitment to adapting to changing traveller expectations. I sincerely thank everyone who contributed to this year’s event, and I look forward to building on the conversations and partnerships established here.’

 

With thanks to our partners

TFWA extends its gratitude to all partners, in the industry, and in Cannes, and thanks sponsors whose support contributed to the success of this year’s event. Special thanks go to Qatar Duty Free, Main Partner of the TFWA Lounge, and to Haribo, Heineken, Lakrids by Bülow, Liviko Crafter’s, Pernod Ricard Global Travel Retail, Pringles, Santa Margherita, Seeberger, Storck, Walker’s Shortbread and Wonderful Pistachios for their contributions to the Lounge experience throughout the week. 

Visit the TFWA website for the official TFWA World Exhibition and Conference 2026 Review and the Key Data Figures for this year’s show. Follow TFWA’s official channels for the latest news and updates.