Hosted by the International Association of Airport & Duty Free Stores (IAADFS), the summit brings together a diverse audience from the duty free and travel retail community for multiple days of business, education and networking.
Summit attendees include owners, operators and buyers from duty free and travel retail stores, manufacturers of products sold in those stores, companies that trade in these products (such as brand agents, distributors, wholesalers, import/export companies, etc.), companies that provide products or services in support of the industry (such as packaging suppliers, software companies, store design firms, etc.),and members of the duty free and travel retail trade press. Most companies and attendees are from the Americas and Caribbean, but the Summit attracts an audience from more than 60 countries worldwide.
Nearly 1,200 industry representatives participated in the 2023 Summit of the Americas last April, and IAADFS expects increased attendance for 2024. To date, more than 75 exhibiting companies are confirmed for the Summit, with new inquiries continuing to be submitted. The exhibit hall is open full days on Monday, 15 April and Tuesday, 16 April, with Wednesday, 17 April being a half day. In addition to an exhibit hall that consistently receives praise for its strong business atmosphere and high-quality buyer attendees, the Summit of the Americas offers three evening networking receptions that provide valuable opportunities for attendees to relax, network, and sometimes conduct business discussions in a more casual atmosphere.
The 2024 Summit of the Americas will feature two informative education sessions:
- Monday, 15 April, The Americas – Change and Promise: join us for a discussion on the state of the industry in the Americas, changes it has undergone and where our panel sees promise for the future. Moderated by IAADFS chair Rene Riedi, the panel includes Greg Ford (Pernod Ricard), Felipe Grant (Puig Travel Retail Americas), Markus Suter (Lindt) and Nuno Amaral (ARI).
- Tuesday, 16 April, Sailing into Success: Cruise Retail in the Americas 2024: in partnership with DFNI, this workshop offers an insightful exploration into the burgeoning opportunities within the cruise retail sector in the Americas. Moderated by Chris Madden (DFNI), panelists include Clara Susset (m1nd-set), Lisa Kauffman (Starboard Cruise Services), Emily Lively (Diageo Global Travel) and Estelle Baumann (Denizen).
While the Summit of the Americas provides a vital environment to bring together buyers, suppliers and other industry stakeholders, it does so much more. The summit serves as the primary funding source to support the association’s advocacy and government relations programmes on behalf of IAADFS members and the industry as a whole. Revenue generated from registration and space rental fees is reinvested by the association into advocacy efforts to protect and advance the interests of the industry.
Due to the global nature of the duty free and travel retail industry, challenges can emerge from any corner at any time. Whether we’re reacting to a specific challenge or wish to undertake a proactive action, we must be ready to stand up for the interests of our industry and respond appropriately to the challenges that we face. The funding support provided by the summit allows IAADFS to monitor and respond quickly and effectively whenever necessary, and to coordinate efforts with other industry partners as appropriate.
IAADFS would like to thank the many companies that support the association and the Summit of the Americas through their contributions as attendees, exhibitors, and sponsors. Your support allows IAADFS to continue advocating on behalf of association members and the industry overall.
We look forward to seeing you in West Palm Beach in April!
