FRANCE. Tax Free World Association (TFWA) says it has attracted strong levels of engagement for the upcoming TFWA World Exhibition & Conference in Cannes (28 September-2 October) with several leading global brands confirming their presence.
Among the global names participating at this year’s event are Hermès, Giorgio Armani, Zegna, Bally and Ralph Lauren, alongside long-established travel retail leaders such as Tumi, Samsonite and Delsey.
Lifestyle brands will feature more prominently this year, with Lacoste, Longchamp, Paul & Shark and Victorinox expanding their presence. Returning names include Furla, Napapijri and Coach, which are set to join regular exhibitors such as Lancel, Coccinelle and Le Tanneur.
Appropriately, the eyewear category will also be in strong focus, with leading global groups such as EssilorLuxottica, Safilo, Thélios, Marcolin and De Rigo set to deliver a high-profile presence on the exhibition floor.
This year’s edition will see a significant increase in participation at the Harbour Village, with 30 official boats confirmed, up from 19 last year. For the first time, the Harbour Village will be fully integrated within the main exhibition perimeter.
Travel retail powerhouses including Avolta, Lagardère Travel Retail, Gebr. Heinemann, 3Sixty Duty Free, Dubai Duty Free and Qatar Duty Free have confirmed strong representation with large delegations. High-level participation is also expected from airports, airlines, cruise operators and distributors across all markets.
As part of its annual programme, the Cannes event will include a comprehensive learning agenda, offering delegates valuable insights and fresh perspectives for their business strategies.
The TFWA Conference will open on Monday with a line-up of top-class speakers, followed by two focused workshops – World in Flux: Travel Retail Amid Today’s Geopolitical Realities on Tuesday, and Next Horizon: Charting the Future of Travel Retail on Wednesday.
Making its debut at this year’s event, the Innovation Square concept will host two dedicated workshops alongside exclusive evening networking sessions.
TFWA’s ONE2ONE meeting service will once again offer valuable opportunities for exhibiting brands, key buyers, airports and trade agents to connect and focus on business development. The exhibition halls will be open from Monday afternoon through to Thursday.
Registration remains open until the first week of September at this link.
TFWA President Philippe Margueritte said: “It’s gratifying to see that so many of global travel retail’s most prestigious brands are planning to join us once again in Cannes for what is undoubtedly one of the most important events in our calendar.
“We look forward to welcoming these high-profile established names plus new game-changing tastemaker brands to the TFWA World Exhibition & Conference in September.” ✈
