The International Association of Airport and Duty Free Stores (IAADFS) and South American Duty Free Association ASUTIL have unveiled the first line-up of speakers for the Summit of the Americas – A Virtual Experience, which takes place on April 5-9, 2021.
The list of speakers includes a roster of leading airport and border travel retailers from North and South America, including Paradies Lagardère President & CEO Gregg Paradies, Dufry General Manager Sub-Cluster South America Enrique Urioste, Neutral by Luryx Duty Free Shop CEO Marcelo Montico, Windsor-Detroit Tunnel Duty Free President Abe Taqtaq, Stellar Partners CEO Padraig Drennan and Matthew Greenbaum, Director of International Shoppes. Duty Free Americas (speaker to be confirmed) will also take part in the Knowledge Hub sessions.
The cruise channel will be represented byStarboard Cruise Services President & CEO Lisa Bauer, Harding Retail Deputy Managing Director Mark Birnie, and Heinemann Americas CEO Nadine Heubel.
Keynote addresses and panel sessions will take place at the virtual Knowledge Hub each day, focused on the recovery in the Americas market.
Additional presentations will explore reshaping of the airport experience, changing consumer demand, digitalization, sustain-ability, diversity and inclusion, alongside sessions that analyze travel prospects for the region and the economic outlook.
IAADFS Chairman (and Dufry Central and Latin America Executive Advisor) René Riedi and ASUTIL President (and Dufry Chief Operating Officer South America) Gustavo Fagundes will welcome visitors to the Knowledge Hub on Day 1.
ASUTIL Secretary General José Luis Donagaray said: “This is a crucial year for travel retail in the Americas. As we look to drive recovery in the region it is vital that we share insights and best practices to help accelerate these efforts. The Knowledge Hub program will feature a wide variety of conference sessions with educational content from top-class speakers. Keynote speakers and panels representing suppliers, airports, airlines and cruise lines will discuss leading topics such as innovation, digitalization and consumer adaptation.”
IAADFS President and CEO Michael Payne added: “Industry executives from all around the world will be able to take advantage of relevant, engaging and informative Knowledge Hub sessions from the comfort of their office or home. Another added benefit is that each and every element of the program will also be available via the On Demand feature.”
Visitor registration, which is free to all travel retailers, airport companies and exhibitors, is open at the official event website: virtualamericassummit.com.
The Summit of the Americas – A Virtual Experience is being organized by IAADFS and ASUTIL in partnership with The Moodie Davitt Report. Integrated retail design & marketing agency FILTR has been appointed as the event’s Virtual Stand & Experience partner.
The event has already attracted the commitment of many leading travel retailers to attend including: 3Sixty Duty Free, Aer Rianta International, Carisam/Samuel Meisel, Dufry, Duty Free Americas, Harding Retail, Heinemann Americas, International Shoppes, Island Companies, Lagardère Travel Retail, Motta Internacional, Neutral by Luryx Duty Free Shop, Paradies Lagardère, Provimex, Sineriz Free Shop, Starboard Cruise Services, Stellar Partners, Top Brands International, Windsor Tunnel Duty Free Shop and Zeinal Hermanos, with more to be announced soon.
For more information, please visit virtualamericassummit.com or contact Irene Revilla (Irene@MoodieDavittReport.com) / Steven Antolick (info@2021summitoftheamericas.org).
