DENMARK. How our sector retains its relevance for consumers across all generations was the theme of an engaging Nordic Travel Retail Seminar, which took place yesterday (4 June) at the Carlsberg Museum & Business Centre in Copenhagen.
With 136 registered delegates, this was the second-highest-attended Seminar of those organised by the Nordic Travel Retail Group (NTRG) over more than 20 years. The Moodie Davitt Report President Dermot Davitt chaired the event.
NTRG Board Chair and Rémy-Cointreau Director Nordics Elsebeth Lillienschiold welcomed guests and reflected on the growth of the association since it was founded in 1999. “Ten years ago we had membership of 50; today we have 76; in the same time 360 people receive our newsletters compared to 150 then.
“The Nordic and Baltic area has become very attractive, especially to other Europeans, with Sweden and Denmark reaching their highest ever visitor numbers in 2025. We have a lot to be positive about in this region.”
The keynote speaker in the morning session was Mikkel Vedby Rasmussen, who combines his role as Professor of Political Science at the University of Copenhagen with hands-on experience advising both Danish and international institutions.
Reflecting on the seismic geopolitical event of this decade so far, he noted that times of great social change also happen alongside times of conflict. In a quickfire, multi-themed address, he jumped from the unharnessing of the USA from its traditional relationships to the rise of China, and from the impact of falling population levels in many parts of the world to the future of robotics and AI on the workforce.
Through his company’s latest market research, m1nd-set Founder Peter Mohn outlined how and why different generations behave the way they do in travel retail, with a focus on the Nordics.
Later, Pi Insight Founder Stephen Hillam presented findings from the second ETRC Nordic & Baltic Ferry Index, which includes sales data input from most leading players in the regional maritime market.
Regional ferry sales climbed +0.4% year-on-year in 2025 to €702.7 million, just ahead of the +0.3% rise in passenger traffic. This followed two successive years of decline in 2023 and 2024. Spend per passenger grew marginally (+0.1%) to €26.35. Spirits & wine remains the largest category at around one-third of all sales in the channel.
The main panel session of the day gathered a welcome blend of retailers and brand representatives to discuss how travel retail remains relevant in the face of a fast-changing consumer audience across generations.
Color Line Category & Purchase Director Jo Henning Espevalen, Travel Retail Norway Category Manager P&C Tina Beate Berg, Anora Sales Director Global Travel Retail Olli-Pekka Lappalainen and Summerbird Sales Director & Partner Thomas Pedersen discussed what the future holds for assortment development across different categories; what local means in the context of new consumer demand; and whether our interests as an industry are aligned enough to ensure that travelling shoppers can have a memorable and positive experience.
The closing keynote featured Robert Karjel, who combines the analytical mind of an Applied Physics engineer with 25 years of operational experience as an Attack Helicopter Pilot and Lieutenant Colonel in the Swedish Armed Forces. He has also led international anti-piracy divisions under UN mandates and written best-selling thrillers on human behaviour in extreme circumstances.
He told the story of how, as western forces left Afghanistan in August 2021, Sweden first abandoned the many locals who had worked for its embassy and organisations before a small group of special forces returned to organise an almost impossible evacuation of several thousands as the Taliban returned.
A wonderful Gala Dinner at the Seaside Toldboden venue, with lovely views of Copenhagen Harbour, closed off a memorable day. ✈
