SINGAPORE. Marina Bay Sands Expo & Convention Centre has been confirmed as the venue for The Moodie Davitt Report’s Swansong Smiles charity dinner on 8 May 2027, the eve of the TFWA Asia Pacific Exhibition & Conference (9-13 May).
The event – our fifth international charity dinner – will raise funds and visibility for international cleft charity Smile Train.
The company’s previous four such dinners (two of them, in 2007 and 2023, respectively, for Smile Train) collectively raised over US$1 million for the nominated causes.
The Moodie Davitt Report Founder & Chairman Martin Moodie said, “SwanSong Smiles will simultaneously celebrate several landmarks – the 20th year of our (and travel retail’s) relationship with Smile Train; the duty-free industry’s 80th anniversary and our 25th; and (gosh, how did that happen?) my 40th year in the channel.
“As for the Swansong Smiles name, it represents a nod to my impending handover of the CEO baton at The Moodie Davitt Report – though not, I am pleased to say, a departure from the company – to my colleague Dermot Davitt and, of course, the event’s chosen cause, Smile Train.
“We have already received numerous pledges of support, including the critical and wholehearted backing of TFWA [see below], for which we are enormously grateful. The Singapore show is a vital gathering of the travel retail community within and beyond Asia Pacific and the 2027 edition already shapes as a vibrant and innovative event. We hope our dinner will add to the allure.
“My thanks also to the management at Marina Bay Sands Expo & Convention Centre, venue for TFWA Asia Pacific, who have been incredibly helpful in assisting us meet our goal of maximising fund-raising for Smile Train.
“We hope to create a brilliant atmosphere as a kind of unofficial kick-off to the show and raise critical funds for a charity that does extraordinary work around the globe. We promise an evening of emotion and friendship along with some special surprises. Please support this wonderful cause with table or individual bookings, auction prizes and any other assistance you can give*.”
TFWA President Sarah Branquinho said, “What more fitting way to mark Martin’s own ‘Swansong’ than a celebratory dinner that will also raise money for Smile Train, a charity that Martin has consistently supported.
“I am delighted that the dinner will take place in Singapore on the eve of TFWA Asia Pacific Exhibition & Conference and am confident that the industry will come together and give generously, bringing hope to many more children through these transformative operations.”
In an earlier post on The Moodie Blog, The Moodie Davitt Report Founder & Chairman Martin Moodie reflected on the journey that began with the first Smile Train charity dinner in Hong Kong in October 2007. It was when the US-based international nonprofit, non-governmental organisation was introduced to the travel retail community.
Since then, support from the travel retail community through the charity dinners, golf tournaments, fun runs, mountain treks and more has helped raise over US$3 million – enough to fund at least 12,000 cleft surgeries – alongside priceless visibility for the cause.
*Note: We are seeking unique high-value prizes for silent and live auctions. In a considerable fillip for the evening, dynamic Irish duo Global Travel Retail Sales Founder David Spillane and Duty Free Global Founder Barry Geoghegan, who between them have served as auctioneers for all previous Moodie Davitt Report charity dinners, have volunteered to share the role at SwanSong Smiles.
If you would like to support SwanSong Smiles, please reach out to Martin Moodie at Martin@MoodieDavittReport.com or our Head of Events Vincci Chung at Vinci@MoodieDavittReport.com ✈
