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 […]
Asutil
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 […]
ASUTIL preparing for “the day after”
South American Duty Free Association ASUTIL continues to work diligently with its members and other industry partners looking for ways to ease the financial burden on retailers as a result of the coronavirus pandemic that is decimating travel and travel retail. “People are afraid to travel. The world has stopped. The industry has stopped,” said […]
DUTY FREE & TRAVEL RETAIL SUMMIT OF THE AMERICAS CANCELLED DUE TO COVID-19
The 2020 Summit of the Americas scheduled for March 30 – April 2 in Orlando, Florida has been cancelled. ASUTIL & IAADFS, the show organizers, said that they made the “difficult decision” after careful consideration. The official announcement sent to exhibitors follows: After careful consideration, IAADFS and ASUTIL have made the difficult decision to cancel the […]
ASUTIL and IAADFS reveal speaker lineup for 2020 Summit of the Americas
ASUTIL and IAADFS have released the full lineup of speakers for the Executive Conference Sessions at the 2020 Duty Free & Travel Retail Summit of the Americas, March 30 – April 2, 2020, at the Hyatt Regency in Orlando, Florida. The Executive Conference Sessions will take place on the mornings of Tuesday, March 31 and […]
Inaugural ASUTIL Border Conference examines new Brazilian opportunities
The first Latin American Border conference welcomed 170 registered delegates at the Sheraton Porto Alegre last week, who gathered to discover details of how the new land border duty free stores in Brazil will operate. The conference was jointly organized by South American duty free association ASUTIL and CEFSU, the Chamber of Uruguayan Free Shop […]
South American duty free sales struggle as regional recovery stalls
The duty free business in the Mercosur countries has continued to struggle in the first four months of this year, with expected improvements in Argentina and Brazil stalled, likely until the end of the year. ASUTIL Secretary General José Luis Donagaray told media in a webinar this week that the industry does not expect to […]
Orlando: numbers down slightly but new venue delivers surprisingly upbeat Summit of the Americas
It is not always about the numbers. The final tally of visitors to the 2019 Duty Free & Travel Retail Summit of the Americas is expected to be flat said organizers Michael Payne, President and CEO, IAADFS and José Luis Donagaray, Secretary-General of ASUTIL during a meeting with members of the trade press the last day […]
ASUTIL to meet with Brazilian and Uruguayan officials to clarify border store product restrictions
Following its announcement in January regarding the harmonization regulations issued by Mercosur at the end of 2018, South American duty free association ASUTIL will be meeting with government officials of Brazil and Argentina to clarify the list of products that had been excluded for sale in the region’s border stores. In a webinar on Friday […]
