It is the end of an era at ASUTIL — the South American Duty-Free Association (ASUTIL) – with the announcement this week that Jose Luis Donagaray is stepping down from his role as Secretary General after more than 20 years in October. Donagaray will be succeeded by another familiar personality working in support of South […]
Asutil
ASUTIL to bring back its own stand-alone conferences in 2022, 2023
South American Duty Free Association ASUTIL announced today that it will be holding its own in-person duty free border conference in November 2022 in Foz de Iguaçu, Brazil, (safe and health concerns permitting) and a return to the full ASUTIL conference in 2023. Speaking at an online press conference from Montevideo on Wednesday, ASUTIL Secretary […]
ASUTIL/CEFSU Border Meeting focuses on latest progress in region
The Uruguayan Chamber of Border Shops, CEFSU, and South American Duty Free Shops Association ASUTIL, hosted a virtual Border Shops meeting entitled “Returning to Normality” on Nov. 23. After a welcome from Carlos Loaiza, secretary general of CEFSU, and ASUTIL Secretary General Jose Luis Donagaray, Gustavo Fagundes, ASUTIL President and Dufry do Brasil CEO, set […]
ASUTIL: Vaccination pace slowly picks up in South America
The vaccination process is going forward in South America, albeit slowly, reported José Luis Donagaray, Secretary General of South American Duty Free Association ASUTIL during a far-ranging webinar last Wednesday. With an average of only 18% of the population currently fully vaccinated in the region, Donagaray confirms that the region is still far behind North […]
ASUTIL and m1nd-set launch B1S recovery monitor to support return to growth
Latin American duty free association ASUTIL is among the first of the regional associations to partner with Swiss research agency m1nd-set to adopt m1nd-set’s recovery monitor and share insights with its members. mind-set is supporting the industry’s return to growth with traffic and shopping behavior insights from its data tool Business 1ntelligence Service (B1S). According […]
Summit of the Americas organizers add key new speakers to Knowledge Hub agenda
The International Association of Airport and Duty Free Stores (IAADFS) and South American Duty Free Association ASUTIL have unveiled additional speakers for the Summit of the Americas – A Virtual Experience, which takes place on April 5-9, 2021. Keynote addresses and panel sessions will take place at the virtual Knowledge Hub each day, focused on […]
IAADFS & ASUTIL announce impressive roster of speakers for Virtual Summit of the Americas in April
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 […]
Visitor Registration & Exhibitor Bookings underway for Virtual Summit of the Americas
Registration is now underway for both exhibitors and visitors to the 2021 Summit of the Americas, which will take place in virtual form on April 5-9. As in the past, the Summit is jointly organized by the International Association of Airport and Duty Free Shops – IAADFS, and South American Duty Free Association ASUTIL. Due […]
New allowances and more stores announced at Brazil border conference
South American Duty Free Association, ASUTIL, and CEFSU, the Chamber of Uruguayan Free Shops, held a two-day virtual conference on Nov. 24-25, that examined new opportunities arising from the opening of duty free shops on the Brazilian border, during which government officials unveiled increased duty free allowances and details of new store openings. Originally planned […]
ASUTIL negotiating border allowances and transaction fees in Brazil, as it works on behalf of LATAM industry struck by COVID travel bans
South American Duty Free Association ASUTIL (Asociación Sudamericana de Tiendas Libres) has been working diligently on a number of issues critical to the industry in South America, in addition to its efforts to help com-bat the results of the travel halt from COVID-19. ASUTIL Secretary General José Luis Donagaray informed media that the Association has been […]
Summit of the Americas goes Virtual for 2021
The International Association of Airport Duty Free Stores (IAADFS) and Asociación Sudamericana de Tiendas Libres (ASUTIL) announced today that the 2021 Summit of the Americas, originally scheduled to be held in Palm Beach, Florida next April, will now be conducted as a virtual expo on April 5-8, 2021. The 2021 Virtual Summit of the Americas […]
ASUTIL’s Donagaray promises “We are Walking” as he pledges assistance to LA industry at latest regional webinar
Speakers at the latest monthly webinar hosted by South American Duty Free Association ASUTIL continued to paint a dire picture of the travel industry in Latin America and the impact of COVID-19, with forecasts of air traffic for the full year predicted to be down more than 50%. But ASUTIL Secretary General José Luis Donagaray […]
Experts at ASUTIL webinar predict no recovery until 2021 in Latin America; could take years to reach pre-COVID levels
By John Gallagher Two economists speaking at an ASUTIL-hosted webinar last week predict that Latin America is unlikely to see any recovery from the current crisis before 2021, and that it could take the region’s two major powers longer than that to even reach pre-COVID levels. Economists Tatiana Pinheiro from BNP – Paribas from […]
ASUTIL takes to the press in appeal for government assistance to save regional travel retail industry
South American Duty Free Association ASUTIL turned to one of Uruguay’s leading newspapers, El País, to add weight to its plea to local governments for assistance during the COVID-19 crisis, with requests to use e-commerce to sell to a domestic consumer and to Brazilians. ASUTIL Secretary General Jose Luis Donagaray, speaking with media during a virtual news […]
ASUTIL briefing features relief efforts and importance of positivity
South American Duty Free Association ASUTIL reiterated four measures it is focusing on in its joint petition with Airports Council International Latin America (ACI LAC), which calls on regional governments for aid as a result of the coronavirus crisis. The Association held an online briefing earlier this week attended by media, the ASUTIL Board and […]
