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Nordic Travel Retail Group Chairman John Baumgartner: Outlined the challenges facing the regional trade |
NORDIC REGION. The annual Nordic Travel Retail Seminar took place on Thursday at the Arken Hotel & Conference Centre in Gothenburg, Sweden, with around 80 delegates in attendance. Among the key themes were best practice retailing, learning from the domestic market, and focusing on how to better engage the consumer – along with a lively account of the dangers of volcanoes in the region.
Nordic Travel Retail Group Chairman John Baumgartner, who assumed the role this year after taking over from Erik Thomsen, introduced the event. He outlined some of the key activities of the group in recent months, including action – in partnership with the European Travel Retail Council – to combat the WHO threat to tobacco and alcohol sales in duty free, and also its work to urge governments to assist the travel retail trade following the impact of the Icelandic volcano in April.
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Brian Moore: Learn from rival retail channels such as the domestic market |
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Michael Ripfl: The Umdasch executive underlined the importance of wide, inviting store spaces |
In the months ahead, some key issues for the organisation will be tackling the one-bag rule implemented by certain low-cost carriers, the challenge of food labelling on confectionery products in the region, and also the tricky issue of deposits on cans of beverages purchased in one country but taken to another (where their deposits will not be refunded).
The keynote speaker was Brian Moore, who addressed the theme “˜Optimising the travel retail shopper experience’. He outlined the challenges the travel retail industry faces from the domestic channel and other rival sales channels, but urged the industry to learn from best practice on the local market. He underlined the vital importance of understanding the shopper and measuring shopper behaviour, plus he assessed the strategic importance of improving supplier-retailer partnerships in the long term.
Umdasch Shop-Konzept International Sales Manager Michael Ripfl gave his insights into the latest trends in beauty and wellness in travel retail, with an emphasis on shop design and fit-out. And he stressed the growing place in the trade for walk-through duty free stores, which he said were a highly positive influence on driving penetration and attracting consumer interest.
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Anne-Marie Zuidweg: Arlanda-Schiphol Development Company takes its next step forward at Gothenburg Airport |
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Johnnie Mueller: Open and frank assessment of the security regime at Europe’s airports today |
In the second session, Arlanda Schiphol Development Company (ASDC) Managing Director Anne-Marie Zuidweg delivered a substantial and detailed presentation about her company’s recent addition of Gothenburg-Landvetter Airport to the portfolio, and about the principles underpinning the ASDC partnership.
In a frank, open and candid address, Copenhagen Airports Head of Security Johnnie Müller assessed the aftermath of Christmas Day’s attempted terror attacks at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol and their implications for security and airports across Europe. He noted that screening technology that would end the current LAGs rules (scheduled to be phased in from 2011 to 2013) had not yet been approved, and cast doubt on the effectiveness of body scanners – on which some airports have already invested millions – in making air travel safer.
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Lennart Bjorklund: Lively closing presentation on the forces of nature that drive volcanic activity |
The day concluded with an insightful and entertaining address from Lennart Björklund of the University of Gothenburg on the impact of the recent volcano eruption in Iceland – and its implications for business and aviation.
The event was moderated by The Moodie Report Deputy Publisher Dermot Davitt.
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This year’s Nordic event took place at the Arken Hotel in Gothenburg |