As the 2023 MEADFA Conference garners a strong pre-registration response, more details have emerged regarding the event's speakers and core subjects. Managed by TFWA, this year's conference will be held at the Kempinski Hotel Gold Coast City in Accra, Ghana, from November 19th to the 21st, marking the first time it has ventured into West Africa.
MEADFA President Sherif Toulan will kickstart the conference on November 20th with a welcoming address. The opening session will feature insights from Pamela Djamson-Tettey, Managing Director of Ghana Airports; Dina El Sherif, Commercial Development Director at Egyptian Airports Co; and Youssef Jroundi, Commercial Director of ONDA Morocco.
The morning session will continue with contributions from experts in duty-free and travel retail from the region, including Keith Hunter, Partner at Hunter Palmer Global Retail Solutions, Abdeslam Azgoul, CEO Middle East and Africa at Dufry, and Nico Reifkogel, Director of Business Development at Gebr Heinemann.
Subsequent sessions will delve into illicit trade and the post-Covid MEA traveler, with inputs from Rob Marriott, Chair of the MEADFA Advocacy Group; Roger Jackson, Managing Director at Organico Solutions; Milika Kalyati, Corporate Affairs and Communications Manager at JT International SA; Sarah Branquinho, President of the Duty Free World Council; Stephen Hillam, Managing Director of Pi Insight, and Christy Tawii, Research Manager for Sub-Saharan Africa at Euromonitor.
The second day will include additional sessions focusing on the industry's recovery and a spotlight on African shoppers. Delegates will hear from Kojo Bentum Williams, Founder and Publisher of VoyagesAfriq Travel Media and Lead Communications at UNWTO Africa; Martina Bednarikova, Economist and Policy Analyst at IATA, and Clive Jones, CEO of Tourvest Retail Services.
Later in the day, sustainability and innovation will take center stage, with insights from Munif Mohammed, MEADFA's Sustainability Lead and Lagardère Travel Retail CEO Saudi Arabia, Nicolas Bry, Innovation Booster at Orange Africa, and Manuel Gonzalez, Global Marketing Director at Beam Suntory.
Apart from the rich learning opportunities, attendees will enjoy an eventful social program, including an opening cocktail on Sunday evening, a gala dinner on Monday night, and networking coffee and lunch breaks throughout the conference.
This year's MEADFA Conference is hosted by Dufry, which boasts a significant presence in Africa with operations spanning several countries on the continent.
Additional sponsors for this year's MEADFA Conference include Diamond Sponsors like Aphrodite Sarl, GN Tobacco Sweden AB, Imperial Brands Global Duty Free & Export S.L.U., Inter African Marketing International Duty Free Trading & Agencies (IDF), and Ghandour Cosmetics – Scent of Africa, along with Platinum Sponsors such as Dubai Duty Free, Mondelēz World Travel Retail, Pernod Ricard Gulf, and Hama Gulf, among others. Coffee Break sponsors include Nestle and Lindt.
Moreover, Altimex, Bloom, Energiser, Ixir, and Liviko, along with Airline Partners Air France – KLM, have lent their support as sponsors for the event. Media Partners for the conference include The Moodie Davitt Report, TR Business Limited, Global Travel Retail Magazine, DFNI-Frontier, and Euromonitor International.
The strong industry support and growing number of registrations reflect the interest for exploring the promising African market and staying up to date on developments in the Middle East.
“With a comprehensive agenda featuring distinguished speakers and thought-provoking sessions, we are confident that delegates will gain valuable knowledge and build meaningful connections. In Accra, we are not only brought together to learn and connect but also to celebrate the dynamics and excellence of the travel retail industry.
“Join us in Accra as we unite to shape the future of travel retail, embarking on a journey filled with opportunities for networking and growth.” Sherif Toulan, MEADFA President
“With international passengers departing the Middle East and Africa set to reach 94% of 2019 levels this year, the MEADFA Conference will allow delegates to discover more about the vast opportunities in this dynamic region. With the event taking place in West Africa for the first time, the MEADFA Conference will provide the platform for the industry to connect and do business in a region with vast commercial potential. The MEADFA Conference remains a highlight in the duty free and travel retail calendar, and we are pleased to be partnering MEADFA in this event once again.”
Erik Juul-Mortensen, TFWA President