CHINA. The practicalities of doing business in Hainan are the focus of the second APAC Dialogue on Thursday 27 May, 1600-1800 Singapore time.
The webinar is hosted by the Asia Pacific Travel Retail Association (APTRA) in association with The Moodie Davitt Report and is open to everyone in the industry free of charge. The first APAC Dialogue in March drew over 400 attendees.
A Financial Times headline in April echoed the sentiments of many travel retail executives, declaring “Hainan ‘on fire’ as luxury’s centre of gravity tilts to China”, APTRA noted. “However positive the extraordinary sales figures and the appeal of the business opportunity, many travel retail businesses want to understand how best to enter or develop the market, to navigate the regulatory landscape, connect with designated retailers and engage with shoppers,” the association said.
Moderated by The Moodie Davitt Report Founder & Chairman Martin Moodie and hosted by APTRA President Sunil Tuli, the session will feature four speakers who will each present a specific aspect of operating on the island.
Rob Robertson, CEO at Star Brands Travel Retail, will talk about creating and nurturing business in Hainan, protecting brand image, managing human resource dynamics and team training, plus merchandising and communication. [Note: Newly formed Star Brands Travel Retail is an alliance between Star Brands Asia and Bluebell Group designed to unlock the potential for global brands entering Asia travel retail’s modern-day hotspot].
Andrew Ford, CEO of Paccaya Resources Limited (and former CEO of TFWA and President of APTRA), will address Hainan’s commercial landscape, with analysis of current dynamics and future direction. A look at the key players, trade licences and new business.
Stephen Peng, Senior Partner at leading Chinese law firm Jincheng Tongda & Neal, will speak on the regulatory landscape in Hainan and assess how changes will shape the market.
Harry Kartasis, Managing Director Global Drinks Limited, will assess supply chain, logistics and product labelling requirements in Hainan.
“APTRA wants to help our members and the wider industry understand the situation in Hainan,” said APTRA President Sunil Tuli. “The opportunity is tremendously exciting for an industry locked in such crisis elsewhere.
“There’s no doubt that Hainan offers a different landscape, so we have planned this webinar to offer practical, commercially valuable advice as an important step towards leveraging the opportunity within the island’s offshore duty free sector.
“We are therefore bringing together expertise from executives with knowledge of the issues involved in doing business in Hainan, who have kindly agreed to share their learnings and recommendations in an open and frank discussion. We welcome questions in advance to help shape the agenda in the most beneficial way.”
The Moodie Davitt Report Founder & Chairman Martin Moodie added: “Hainan’s offshore duty free channel has lit up an otherwise largely darkened and troubled travel retail channel over the past year, with sales surging by +127% year-on-year in 2020 to around US$5 billion.
“This year sales are projected to reach around US$9 billion, buoyed by the enhanced duty free shopping policy introduced last July and the proliferation of licences which saw four new retailers enter the market in late 2020 and early 2021.
“Hainan is posting extraordinary numbers but in a channel that is evolving so fast there are inevitable complexities and growing pains. This session is dedicated to understanding the intricacies of the market as well as the opportunity.”
Registration is now open via https://apacdialogue.com/
Advance questions are welcome via email to Sunil Tuli at suniltuli@kingpower.com.hk and Martin Moodie (Martin@MoodieDavittReport.com) or to APTRA Executive Director Christina Oliver (christina.oliver@aptra.asia).
For event sponsorship enquiries, please contact Sharolyn Paul: sharolyn.paul@aptra.asia or Irene Revilla: Irene@MoodieDavittReport.com
Media enquiries: Anne Kavanagh, Kavanagh Communications anne@kavanaghcommunications.com
Footnote: Every fortnight The Moodie Davitt Report publishes Hainan Curated, in association with Foreo, a selection of all recent stories from the offshore duty free sector in Hainan province.
Click here to view all back issues. Please email Sinead@MoodieDavittReport.com to subscribe.
ABOUT APTRA
The Asia Pacific Travel Retail Association (APTRA) is a membership organisation whose vision is to represent all members of the association and to strengthen, nurture and protect the duty free and travel retail industry in the Asia Pacific region. APTRA’s membership comprises landlords, retailers and brands, a unique base which adds richness to the association’s work. APTRA’s territory spans over 45 countries in Asia Pacific.
APTRA strengthens the knowledge base of the industry by supporting members through meaningful research, knowledge sharing, networking opportunities and advocating for the industry when facing regulatory challenges. Commissioning relevant market research is one of the quality outputs of APTRA, the results of which are disseminated exclusively to members through private seminars, networking workshops and the Association website.
ABOUT THE MOODIE DAVITT REPORT
The Moodie Davitt Report is the world’s leading information source for the travel retail sector, covering all aspects of travel-related commercial activities and consumer services from shopping to food & beverage, airport advertising to foreign exchange to car parking.
The company owns leading industry events The Trinity Forum (run in association with Airports Council International), The Airport Food & Beverage (FAB) Conference & Awards; The Moodies Social & Digital Media Awards; and the Virtual Travel Retail Expo.
The company is a particular authority on China and Hainan’s travel retail sectors and recently produced a White Paper related to Hainan’s offshore duty free sector in partnership with KPMG China. The report will be published at the inaugural China International Consumer Products Expo in Haikou, Hainan (7-10 May).
