INTERNATIONAL. The second Virtual Travel Retail Expo, now just five days away, is shaping as a stunning showcase for digitalisation and innovation in the channel.

The Expo has been created by The Moodie Davitt Report and partner FILTR.QINGWA, while the Hainan Provincial Bureau of International Economic Development (Hainan IEDB) is acting as co-organiser and also host of the Hainan Discovery zone.

The event has so far attracted over 4,000 registered visitors, a figure that is rising fast each day, and 68 exhibitors, including many of the world’s and China’s leading travel retailers. The visitor list includes very sizeable buying and senior management contingents from travel retail companies all around the world, with a particularly healthy presence from China and the wider Asia Pacific region.

Other highlights include:

• • • CDFG City: A world-first as travel retail’s number one player by sales opens its doors to a spectacular virtual world, showcasing the best of its current offer and a dazzling interpretation of what is to come.
    • A comprehensive Hamad International Airport and Qatar Duty Free zone, previewing the Doha gateway’s hugely ambitious expansion set to complete in advance of the FIFA World Cup (21 November to 18 December 2022).
    • A sold-out Hainan Discovery zone, featuring stunning virtual exhibition suites from five of the island’s current or prospective offshore duty free retailers, together with Hainan IEDB, Hainan Hinews Media Co, and several companies specialised in serving the market.
    • The Retailer Emporium: Featuring some of the world’s leading travel retailers, including Dubai Duty Free, Dufry, Duty Free Americas, Ever Rich DFS, Lagardère Travel Retail and Tasa Meng.
    • The Cruise Jetty: Affirmation that the cruise retail sector is on the way up with spectacular stands from Harding and Starboard Cruise Services.
    • A power-packed, 70-strong line-up of thought leaders in the Knowledge Hub across  more than 40 sessions. The programme begins with China Duty Free Group President Charles Chen and never lets up in terms of quality. Recognising the fact that we are attracting a global audience, all sessions are available ‘On-demand’ soon afterwards to all registrants throughout the week and for the unique six-week Expo ‘Encore period’ that follows.

  

  • The Global Dufry Exchange: A pioneering 90-minute session featuring Dufry CEO Julián Diaz and members of the Executive Committee, during which suppliers have the opportunity to ask any question of the retailer’s senior management team.

  • Over 28 innovation-packed brand and concept presentations and masterclasses in the Experience Arena.
  • A busy Exhibitor Pavilion across seven different halls – featuring beautifully designed digital experiences, brimming with the latest product launches, marketing concepts and initiatives.
  • Four awards ceremonies taking place on the dedicated Virtual Awards stage – The long-established Moodies Social & Digital Media Awards, and two new innovations for 2021, Travel Retail Superstars and FAB Superstars, recognising the crucial role played by staff – both customer facing and otherwise – in helping our industry and those it serves continue to operate during this pandemic.
  • And, of course, the grand finale of a fourth awards, The QDF Factor, an initiative between Qatar Duty Free and The Moodie Davitt Report to champion innovation at a time when travel retail needs it more than ever. The QDF Factor offers a top prize of a six-month listing* in 2022 at Qatar Duty Free’s award-winning retail offer in Hamad International Airport, Doha and a complimentary six-month US$50,000 advertising campaign with The Moodie Davitt Report.

Day 1: 11 October, Monday: Wangfujing: Building a New Wangfujing Duty Free: 14:00 SGT / 07:00 GMT +1

“This year’s Virtual Travel Retail Expo is an emphatic declaration of the importance of digitalisation in our channel and a thrilling statement of digital and innovation credentials from many of the sector’s leading brands, retailers, service companies and agencies,” said The Moodie Davitt Report Founder & Chairman Martin Moodie.

Corporate Social Responsibility to the fore

The Moodie Davitt Report is set to make major contributions to cleft charity  Smile Train and the Trinity Forest Project and One Tree Planted sustainability projects as a result of the Expo. In addition, Ocean Bottle has been named Sustainability Partner at the event, pledging to rid the ocean of the equivalent of 500,000 plastic bottles as a direct result of the Expo presence. That’s the equivalent of a hefty 5,000kg of ocean waste.

The Moodie Davitt Report will for the second year running fund a cleft operation through Smile Train for every paid exhibitor at the Expo and plant a tree in support of The Trinity Forest Project for every registered visitor.

“Trade exhibitions and conferences need to do more than simply talk about sustainability and other Corporate Social Responsibility issues,” said Moodie. “We are determined to lead from the front by example.”

Commenting on the event’s overall aspirations, he said: “Our vision for this event has always been to overcome physical restrictions to bring the industry together, to share information, to promote thought leadership, and to relentlessly champion the qualities of digital communication, excellence and reach. I am delighted that so many progressive thinkers in our sector have joined forces with us in this great adventure. We warmly welcome all visitors to next week’s Expo.”

To register for the event please click here.

*Note: Subject to standard commercial and payment terms being agreed.