TFWA World Exhibition & Conference
The 2022 edition of the TFWA World Conference took place at a time of historic challenge for the world. The covid-19 pandemic continues to cast a shadow over our daily lives, while the war in Ukraine has had a profound global impact well beyond the humanitarian tragedy unfolding in eastern Europe. The travel industry, meanwhile, is struggling to adapt to a post-pandemic world, and to satisfy the pent-up demand that is now being unleashed.

What new world is likely to emerge from the changes under way? How will the current geopolitical and economic turbulence affect travel and related industries? How will shoppers behave in the post-Covid world, and how will brands and retailers need to adapt? And will the new world of the metaverse live up to the hype and revolutionise the way in which brands and consumers interact?
Monday October 3
09:00 – 11:45
Grand Auditorium, Palais des Festivals

The TFWA World Conference addressed these questions and more, courtesy of a high-level programme of speakers with a range of perspectives.

The Conference was opened by TFWA President Erik Juul-Mortensen, who has witnessed many changes and disruptive shifts during more than 40 years of involvement in the duty free & travel retail industry. Erik shared his thoughts on the changes that our market is undergoing, supported by the latest travel data and forecasts.

David McWilliams has gained a reputation as one of the most thoughtful – and entertaining – experts on modern economics. An author, journalist, documentary-maker and broadcaster, David is Adjunct Professor of Global Economics at the School of Business Trinity College Dublin, and produces a weekly economics podcast which has repeatedly topped the Irish and UK podcast charts. In Cannes he gave his view on the pressures facing the global economy, and how they are impacting business in the post-Covid world.

As founder of wellbeing concept Rituals, Raymond Cloosterman has a unique insight into modern brand-building. In Cannes he explored the ways in which brands can escape their “comfort zone” in order to adapt to new customer expectations, drawing on his experiences at Unilever and with Rituals.

Dubbed “the Queen of Clubhouse” by Forbes, Swan Sit is a global expert on digital transformation. Previously responsible for global digital marketing at brands including Nike, Estée Lauder and Revlon, she is a creator and innovator with a flair for identifying new trends and opportunities. In Cannes she looked at life in the Metaverse, and the new avenues opening up for brands and retailers in the virtual world.

Delegates at the TFWA World Conference were able to put questions to speakers via the TFWA App, available for download via the Apple Store and Google Play.

The TFWA World Conference was moderated by Juliet Mann, broadcaster, journalist and business news specialist with experience at CNBC, CNN, Sky News, TRT World and Reuters.