US. The 40th Duty Free Show of the Americas reached a successful conclusion in Fort Lauderdale last week with organisers, visitors and exhibitors generally satisfied at the levels of business and networking that had been achieved.
Michael Payne, Executive Director of organiser the International Association of Airport Duty Free Stores (IAADFS), told The Moodie Report: “I think we’ve had a really successful week. The trade show floor itself looks better than during the three years we’ve been here. We have had more buyers than we had last year, which I am very happy about.”
Payne said there had been fewer suppliers – though not fewer supply companies – perhaps a reflection of competition from the Basle watch show and a major US domestic drinks show in the same period, as well as corporate time and cost pressures. Cosmoprof in Italy was another distraction.
“So we’ve got some calendar competition, which hurt us a little bit this year, but what it did not do is hurt the buyers in terms of their attendance. That ratio of buyers to suppliers is very strong.
“When you talk to people in the booths they all say the same thing to me, which is “˜I’ve seen everybody I need to see, I’ve done great business, I’m very happy and I’ll be back.’ And I guess that’s the litmus test for us.”
A full interview with Michael Payne, together with an extensive pictorial review of the Duty Free Show of the Americas, will follow soon.
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