The International Association of Airport and Duty Free Stores (IAADFS) has shared details of the final two conference sessions taking place during the 2025 Summit of the Americas, March 8-11 in Miami, Florida.
In addition to keynote speaker John Price, Managing Director of Americas Market Intelligence (AMI), who leads off the conference session program on the morning of Sunday, March 9, IAADFS, the final two sessions will focus on cruise and airport concessions.
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Next Generation Growth: Charting the Future of the Cruise Sector
This cruise-focused session takes place on Sunday, March 9, from 1:00 – 2:00 pm. The cruise sector is one of the most vibrant sectors of the travel retail industry today, with a surge in both new and repeat passengers, driven in many regions by an influx of younger, affluent travelers. Global cruise capacity is expected to grow by 10% by 2028. The Americas has long been an epicenter of the cruise market, with some predicting growth in the region will outstrip the global market up to 2030. Against this backdrop, the IAADFS presents a dedicated Cruise Workshop, looking into the travelers and shoppers who are driving growth in cruise retail, with a dedicated spotlight on younger, Gen Z travelers and how to meet their evolving demands at-sea. M1nd-set Head of Business Development Anna Marchesini will present dedicated insights into the shifting habits of cruise shoppers. Heinemann Americas Managing Director Nicola Hoeborn, Starboard SVP of Merchandizing and Planning Benito Mendez, and Catherine Restrepo, Founder & CEO of SYZYGY Strategies will offer their insights into the latest development in the market, and how both brands and retailers are adapting to the new opportunities. DFNI Deputy Editor Chris Madden will moderate the session.
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Creating a Vibrant Future
On Monday, March 10, from 1:30 – 2:30 pm, jThe Summit presents a session that focuses on the airport concessions market featuring speakers Andy Weddig, Executive Director, Airport Restaurant & Retail Association (ARRA), David Bisset, Chief Development Officer, Paradies Lagardère Travel Retail, Judy Byrd, President & CEO, Byrd Retail Group, and moderated by Dermot Davitt, President and Editorial Director, The Moodie Davitt Report.
While passenger traffic in the Americas has roared back, led by domestic travel, giving the appearance that airport concessions are viable, in reality, a vibrant future remains a challenge in the face of rising labor costs – many now enshrined by airports in their terms – alongside lagging sales and unprofitable contracts. In short, do we – as an industry – need a new framework? And, if so, what changes to our current model characterize a new framework? In this session, co-organized by the Airport Restaurant & Retail Association and The Moodie Davitt Report, we ask where the concessions business goes from here, how we evolve a business model that works for all, and address why many tender bids today across retail and dining attract weak responses or none at all. What does a good concessions partnership look like in the future?
Details of sessions provided in partnership with ACI North America / ACI Latin America Caribbean (Sunday, March 9, 3-4 p.m.) and TRBusiness / m1nd-set (Monday, March 10, 9:30-10:30 a.m.) have already been announced.
Additional information about the 2025 Summit can be found at www.2025summitoftheamericas.org, including details about registration, housing, the overall schedule, and full session details.
