Prologue: In September, Travel Blue set out a blueprint for increased footfall and conversion in travel retail built around unlocking the potential of the impulse-driven travel essentials category.
The company released an updated category strategy grounded in a major research programme by industry analyst m1nd-set and underpinned by the brand owner’s 40 years of experience in the industry.
Based on a sample of over 200,000 passengers travelling through international airports worldwide, the research reveals an average of 37% of travellers enter the duty-free store at airports, with just 22% of the total converted to buyers.
Travel Blue Managing Director Daniel Levin believes a greater focus on the travel essentials segment represents a golden opportunity to raise the footfall and conversation indicators.
At the recent TFWA World Exhibition in Cannes, Levin chatted with The Moodie Davitt Report Founder & Chairman Martin Moodie about this seminal report; the consumer-centric innovation DNA that underpins everything Travel Blue does; and some of the latest exciting product developments.
Moodie kicks the conversation off by asking how Levin sees the balance of negativity and opportunity in the historically low football and conversion numbers, which in some markets are falling further.
“Opportunity is there for those who look for it,” Levin replies. “Out of 100 passengers, only 22 buy something. So I look at the 78 who don’t buy say, this is a great opportunity. How do we become more relevant? How do we talk to them? How do we convince them?”
Asked about the key findings to emerge from the report, Levin answers, “The trends are very interesting and very relatable. At the end of the day, Gen Z are leading the trend, but consumers are becoming more impulse-driven, more about self-gratification. And this is exactly where our category of travel essentials is.
“In 2022, one out of five bought on impulse. Today it’s one out of three. And soon it will be one out of two. This is impulse-driven completely.”
Moodie picks up on the report’s reference untapped cross-merchandising opportunities between travel essentials and other categories and asks “How can you get retailers listening and seizing that opportunity?”
“First of all, some retailers get it, they understand, they see the numbers declining,” Levin responds.
“Footfall is the lowest it’s been in ten years. Impulse used to be the afterthought – a lot was pre-planned and the impulse was the leftovers. Today, in our category, 77% of the decisions are made in store, second across the whole categories, only second to confectionery.”
Pushed on the opportunities and challenges with Gen Z consumers, Levin observes, “It’s about understanding people. You must understand what drives them, what stops them, and you try to talk to them in their own language.
“The response to value for money is much more important today than it was in the past. And it’s about being relevant to this changing consumer.
“Our category of travel essentials speaks to them and actually out of the different demographics is over indexed on Gen Z.
“So we must be doing something right and speaking to them in their language that brings them into this category.”
The conversation also takes in the value of channel exclusivity. Moodie cites the example of Toblerone Pink Crush, launched as an ultra-limited exclusive in late 2025 with Qatar Duty Free.
“Toblerone is the most ubiquitous product in the whole travel retail world, synonymous with duty free,” Moodie observes. “They launched Pink Crush with a countdown every day. Thirty bars, 29 bars, 28…
“It just goes to show that when you create that rarity, that scarcity, that sense of ‘I could only get it there’. you’re onto something.”
Levin replies, “I am happy that you raised another category because part of the research shows that consumers of travel essentials are not limited to travel essentials only. They actually spend more on other categories.
“So it’s a great opportunity to promote these cross-category purchases and build the basket. That’s what we’re all here for at the end of the day.”
Please click on this link or the YouTube icon above to view this compelling interview. ✈
