Travel Markets Insider Newsletter Vol. 21 No. 37

The Travel Markets Insider newsletter is attached to this post as a PDF file. To open the PDF file, please click on this link.

 

Two major developments took place in the industry this past week. In Europe, the European Travel Retail Confederation and ACI Europe unveiled a report calling for the introduction of duty and tax free arrivals shopping, outlining a whole array of specific benefits. A similar plan could also be of great benefit to recovery efforts in North America as well. Read details on page 1.
The biggest story of the week in North America broke late on Friday when the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – the CDC – announced that it was NOT extending the No Sail order barring cruise ships in waters subject to U.S. jurisdiction past the Oct. 31 deadline; it was instead issuing a detailed Conditional Sail Order that would enable cruise ships to restart in a phased manner, once a series of specific safeguards are instituted.
See the story and the response from Cruise Lines International Association, which represents 95% of global ocean-going cruise capacity. Page 4.
Airport e-commerce platform Grab continues to expand its contactless food service to airports across the U.S., most recently launching in Philadelphia International Airport through a partnership with AtYourGate. Page 2.
M1nd-set has issued a very interesting research study on the technology trends that shoppers see ahead for travel retail, ranging from greater use of augmented reality to robots in s tock rooms and the sales floor. Go to page 3.
PEOPLE
Changes at Dufry.
Deputy CEO and member of the Global Executive Committee Jose Antonio Gea is stepping down from his position at the end of the year. Salvatore Arico, currently Dufry’s Global Human Resources Director, has been named Chief Organization & Transformation Officer and member of the GEC. Page 1.
Our colleagues in the UK are asking for help to save tax free sales.
TRBusiness is calling on travel retail stakeholders and consumers across the UK to back a campaign to reverse the government’s decision to axe airside tax free sales at UK airports on all goods aside from alcohol and tobacco. See the petition here.