One on One with Barbara Barrett, FDFA Executive Director The Frontier Duty Free Association (FDFA) announced a new strategic direction for its land border duty free association in August when it appointed Barbara Barrett as the association’s new Executive Director and appointed advocacy firm Impact Public Affairs to be a proactive advocacy voice in Ottawa. […]
FDFA
FDFA announces “new strategic direction” with appointment of advocacy firm and executive director
The Frontier Duty Free Association (FDFA) Board of Directors has appointed Barbara Barrett to serve as the association’s new executive director. She replaces Laurie Karson, who left the role last September after 12 years at the helm of the industry association. Barrett brings over 20 years of high level public affairs expertise to FDFA. She […]
FDFA’s new convention format to tap into supplier expertise to build brands
According to FDFA vice president Tania Lee, one of the owners of the award winning Blue Water Bridge Duty Free Shop in Ontario, Canada, the new format of the Canadian Association’s annual convention will focus on newness and innovation, and will tap into their suppliers’ expertise to deliver these objectives. Lee says that a great […]
FDFA: Changing direction and starting with a clean slate
Canada’s Frontier Duty Free Association is in transition. The Board’s decision to eliminate the role of executive director last September is just one facet of the new direction being taken by the Association, which hosted its 32nd annual convention in November. For the foreseeable future, the FDFA has streamlined its operations and will be focusing […]
FDFA announces management change: Executive Director Laurie Karson leaves Canadian Association
The Board of Directors of the Frontier Duty Free Association has announced the departure of Executive Director, Laurie Karson, in September. Karson joined FDFA in April 2005. The FDFA will continue to move forward in a positive direction and will organize a successful FDFA Convention in Montreal in November 2017, says the official announcement. In […]
FDFA will continue own stand-alone convention, announces three year run in Toronto
The Frontier Duty Free Association (FDFA) has announced it will continue to run its own stand-alone convention for the next three years at the King Edward Hotel in Toronto, while pledging to update the format to add more value. Next March the IAADFS and ASUTIL will integrate their two annual events into one joint Summit […]
Canadian duty free sales up in 2016
Canada’s duty free sales were up in both airport and land border stores in 2016, according to the latest figures from the Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA). Airport duty free sales were $407 million in 2016, rising approximately 8% versus 2015 sales. December sales increased 15%. Perfume, Cosmetics, Skincare, the number one category in Canada’s […]
Canada July duty free sales up
Canada’s duty free sales were up at both airport and land border stores in July 2016, according to the latest numbers from the Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA). Airport sales were $39 million for the month, rising 19% versus July 2015. Through the first seven months airport sales are $220 million, an increase of 6.9%. […]
Canadian land border sales up, airport falls in June 2016
Canada’s land border duty free sales rose 6% in June 2016, while the country’s airport duty fee sales reversed a long-term trend and fell 5% for the month, according to the latest figures from the Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA). However, the airport sales are being compared to highly successful June 2015, when sales were up […]
Canadian duty free sales up in May
Canadian airport duty free sales rose 4% in May 2016, with land border sales right behind, increasing 3% according to the latest figures from the Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA). Airport sales in May equaled $30 million, up 4.63%. Number one category Perfume, Cosmetics, Skincare (35.25% of airport sales) was up 1.78%. Alcohol (20.41%) increased […]
Canadian airport duty free sales soar 16%, land border sales rise 4% in 2015
Canada’s airport duty free sales soared 16% year-on-year in 2015 while land border sales rose almost 4%, according to the Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA). Overall, the combined airport and land border sales for Canada in 2015 were $524 million; airport sales reached $375 million out-pacing duty free shopping on the land border ($149 million). […]
FDFA 2015 Gold Standard Awards
BEST MARKETING AWARD – Peace Bridge Duty Free NEW IDEA AWARD – Peace Bridge Duty Free NATIONAL BRAND INTEGRATION AWARD – DFS Ventures (Emerson Duty Free Shop) SUPPLIER OF THE YEAR 2015 – SMALL SUPPLIER – Michel Germain Parfums Ltd. SUPPLIER OF THE YEAR 2015 – LARGE SUPPLIER – Turkey Hill Sugarbush Ltd. DUTY FREE […]
One on One with FDFA Executive Director Laurie Karson
Will Canada’s new government help the land border duty free business? Canada’s new Prime Minister Justin Trudeau took office on Nov. 3, just days before the Frontier Duty Free Association held its milestone 30th anniversary convention in Vancouver, B.C. Trudeau, the second youngest prime minister in Canadian history and the son of the late Pierre […]
Michael Resch inducted into Canada’s Tourism Hall of Fame
The Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC) has inducted Michael Resch, Owner of DFS Ventures (Emerson Duty Free – Manitoba) into Canada’s Tourism Hall of Fame. This award is in recognition of Michael’s outstanding achievements for tourism in Canada and the Canadian Land Border Duty Free Industry. Resch is one of only two inductee’s to […]
FDFA celebrates 30 years and prepares for future
The 30 year-old Frontier Duty Free Association (FDFA) is celebrating its anniversary at its annual convention in Vancouver from November 15-18, and will introduce a number of new initiatives as it moves forward, says FDFA Executive Director Laurie Karson. “We are thrilled to be back on the West Coast to celebrate our milestone. We developed […]
