Travel Markets Insider Newsletter Vol. 22 No. 3

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

The biggest news from last week was the announcement by Tax Free World Association that the TFWA World Exhibition & Conference is planning to return to a live event in Cannes this year. The dates are Sunday, Sept. 26 to Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021. See more details on page 1.
The organizers of the 2021 Summit of the Americas – IAADFS and ASUTIL in partnership with The Moodie Davitt Report– have unveiled additional speakers for the upcoming virtual event taking place April 5-9. Key figures from the airport, border and cruise channels will discuss recovery, and they will be joined by some top-ranking figures from other industries. Page 1.
In more Association News, the Asia Pacific Travel Retail Association has launched a regional webinar series for 2021 in association with The Moodie Davitt Report. The APAC Dialogue will feature a rolling set of one-day programs every two months, each dedicated to a different theme, region or country. See page 4 for more information.


U.S. ELECTION Joseph R. Biden has been inaugurated as the 46th President of the United States. Another winner is A.T. Cross Company, which provided customized pens for the signing of President Biden’s Inauguration Day Proclamations. Page 1. 

CRUISE NEWS
MSC Cruises Executive Chairman Pierfrancesco Vago has been appointed to a two-year term as Global Chairman of Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA). Vago will be the first European to serve in the role of CLIA Global Chairman. Page 2
Royal Caribbean Group has signed an agreement to sell its Azamara brand to Sycamore Partners, a private equity firm, for $201 million. Page 2
Princess Cruises announced on January 21 that it sold its “Love Boat”-style Pacific Princess to an undisclosed buyer. Page 2
With the upsurge in new COVID-19 cases in the U.S. and Europe, Carnival Cruise Line has again moved the start date for its new Mardi Gras ship from Port Canaveral, with the first cruise now set for May 29, 2021. The cruise line also announced additional cruise cancellations, extending its pause in U.S. departures through April 30, 2021, and cancelling Australian operations through May 19, 2021. Page 2

EUROPE/BREXIT
According to the latest report from Swiss research agency m1nd-set, there might be a silver lining emerging from the confusion and crisis of the last year—in this case from Brexit. m1nd-set reports that the number of travelers eligible to purchase duty free goods at European and British airports could increase by over 60%, following changes in British and EU regulations at the end of the Brexit transition period on January 1, 2021. See highlights of m1nd-set’s special post-Brexit analysis study on page 3.


TECHNOLOGY Airport e-commerce platform Grab is renamed the core area of its business Servy. The rebrand to Servy reflects the natural evolution of the company, which now provides more than the ability to grab food on the go at the airport. Page 3
Congratulations to FILTR, the global integrated marketing and design agency for travel retail formed by Alex Cook, which was recently named one of the Top 20 Enterprise Startups 2020 by leading technology magazine, APAC CIOoutlook. The award recognizes FILTR’s pioneering, integrated technology approach to virtual events and the acceleration of its enhanced digital capabilities, highlighted by its key role in the recent The Moodie Davitt Report Travel Retail Virtual Expo and Aircraft Commerce Virtual Expo. FILTR is also working on the Summit of the Americas. More details on Page 4

SUPPLY SIDE
Pernod Ricard has released two new lower alcohol expressions from Ballantine’s and Beefeater in response to consumers wanting to cut down their alcohol consumption. Ballantine’s Light and Beefeater Light are 20% ABV spirit drinks with half the alcohol of the original Ballantine’s and Beefeater variants. At this time, they are only available in Spain, however. Page 4
SHISEIDO. Shiseido Travel Retail is welcoming the Lunar New Year with bestsellers from SHISEIDO, Clé de Peau Beauté, ELIXIR, ANESSA, NARS, and Laura Mercier, dressing each of them in limited-edition red and gold packaging to reflect the symbolism and traditions of the festive season. Page 5
ESTEE LAUDER Estée Lauder has revealed its New Re-Nutriv Ultimate Diamond Transformative Eye Serum. The Eye Serum features Re-Nutriv’s most advanced youth-sustaining technology, and is infused with Re-Nutriv’s skin-energizing Black Diamond Truffle Extract. It will be available soon in the Americas travel retail channel. See details on Page 5.


REFRESHED TRAVELER Refreshed Traveler, inventor of the Travel Safety Kit, is now targeting travel venues with its affordable product line aimed at helping travelers protect themselves from COVID-19 and other infections while on the go. For more details on the “first-to-market” innovator, see page 6.