Kicking off the 38th TFWA World Exhibition & Conference, TFWA President Erik Juul-Mortensen expressed his heartfelt appreciation to attendees from the duty-free and travel sector. He lauded their dedication to participating in the event, whether as exhibitors or attendees.
"Yesterday evening, at the Opening Cocktail on the Carlton Beach, I was thrilled to see so many familiar faces. For many of us, this represented our first genuine reunion with colleagues and friends in quite a while. It was especially heartening to witness the robust presence of our Asian and American colleagues, who have made a strong comeback following years of travel restrictions caused by the pandemic."
Juul-Mortensen acknowledged the diversity of participants at the 2023 Exhibition, showcasing both established brands and promising newcomers. This year's event occupied more floor space than before the Covid era, achieving a new record. He expressed optimism that visitor numbers by the week's end would rival those of 2019.
"While we are making strides, we have not yet reached the levels of 2019."
Juul-Mortensen also turned his attention to the current status of the duty-free and travel retail industry, recognizing the positive outlook while emphasizing the need for a complete recovery.
"While there is optimism surrounding duty-free and travel retail, we have not yet returned to our 2019 status. IATA's global passenger numbers for the first half of 2023, as disclosed, remain approximately 10% lower than pre-Covid levels. The surge in air traffic, though welcomed, has brought about staffing challenges, with 43% of airport employees worldwide departing the industry during the pandemic, according to the Air Transport Action Group."
He highlighted the disparate rates of recovery worldwide, emphasizing that the journey to full recovery varies across regions.