Travel Markets Insider Newsletter Vol. 22 No. 38

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

With Christmas only hours away holiday travel has hit a major bump, with U.S. airlines United, Delta, and Jet Blue cancelling thousands of flights due to the surge in Omicron-linked COVID-19 infections, which have hit flight crews and the people who run operations, reported Business Insider.

As of Christmas Eve, the cancellations have affected over 3,000 flights so far. Some experts are forecasting that the latest surge will peak in the U.S. in mid-January.

Despite this latest road-block, travel numbers in the Americas continue to slowly improve.

OAG reports that the U.S. air market is edging closer to recovery. And travel deals platform HolidayPirates released a survey showing that the U.S. is the number one bucket list destination for holiday planners from the UK, France, Germany and France for 2022. See page 2.

ASUTIL

In another exciting development, South American Duty Free Association ASUTIL announces that it will again hold a stand-alone conference in 2023; and hopes to host an in-person border event in Foz de Iguazu, Brazil next November. Read more news from ASUTIL Secretary General Jose Luis Donagaray on page 1.

RESEARCH

Swiss research agency m1nd-set examines the impact of the pandemic on gift shopping in travel retail with some surprising results, as North Americas buck the trend and increase the share of purchase dedicated to gifts. Page 5. 

SUPPLY SIDE

Duty Free Dynamics expands markets, product categories and concepts under its new strategic master plan. Page 3

Bacardi Global Travel Retail extends its Dewar’s Double Double range with a 36 year old it is launching first with China Duty Free. Page 4.

Puig captures the festive spirit with the Carolina Herrera Frozen campaign in Travel Retail Americas. Page 6

Cult U.S. makeup brand Drunk Elephant takes off with Shiseido Travel Retail. Page 6

PEOPLE

Ross Khaledi, founder and CEO of HKG Duty Free in the U.S., has assumed full ownership of the company he founded with his brother in 1977. Page 4

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings has named Juan Kuryla as SVP, Port Development and Construction Management. Kuryla has served a Director and CEO of PortMaimi since 2014. Page 4