APTRA NORTH ASIA FORUM PROGRAMME CONFIRMATION

12 NOVEMBER 2026, HONG KONG

Singapore, 13 October 2026 – The Asia Pacific Travel Retail Association (APTRA) has confirmed the full programme and speaker line-up for its North Asia Forum, taking place on Thursday 12 November 2026 at the Hopewell Hotel in Wan Chai, Hong Kong.

Running from afternoon into evening, the Forum will examine how consumer behaviour is changing across North Asia, in travel retail and in the domestic markets that shape travellers’ purchase decisions. Leaders from airports, operators, brands and research will discuss category mix and traveller engagement and how airside space can foster human connection and encourage exploration, discovery and spend across category mix and traveller engagement.

Sunil Tuli, APTRA President and Group Chief Executive, King Power Group (Hong Kong), said: “Delegate registrations are building fast, and we’re looking forward to a valuable and highly interactive programme. Our outstanding line-up brings together cross-sector leaders and experts from several key markets on vital topics that matter today and for the future development of the industry.”

The North Asia Forum is held in collaboration with platinum host partners Airport Authority Hong Kong and Hong Kong International Airport. King Power Hong Kong is the gold partner, m1nd-set and China Trading Desk are the research partners and Changi Airport Group is a supporting partner. Wine and cocktails are courtesy of drinks partners Global Drinks and Pernod Ricard Global Travel Retail.

In keeping with APTRA’s not-for-profit status, tickets are priced at US$150 simply to cover costs.

Click here to Register for APTRA North Asia Forum 2026

Programme details:

2.00–5.30pm | Forum

Welcome 

Sunil Tuli, APTRA President and Group Chief Executive, King Power Group (Hong Kong)

Gateway to Growth: Retail at HKIA and the New Terminal 2

Esther Lui, General Manager, Retail & Advertising, Airport Authority Hong Kong

Panel 1: Their Time, Their Way: The New Airside Journey

Once travellers clear security, the clock changes. That stretch of time, no longer transactional and not yet travel, is some of the most valuable real estate an airport owns. How it is used shows how well an airport understands the people moving through it. Today’s travellers don’t want to be funnelled past rows of retail boxes. They want space that feels considered and moves at their pace, reflecting a wider shift towards personalisation over uniformity and curation over volume, where passengers decide for themselves where they go and what they do.

Host: Shalini Rao, Chief Marketing Officer, Bangalore International Airport Limited

In conversation with:

• Valerie Chuong, Deputy Chief Commercial Officer, Non-Aero, Kansai Airports
• Chim Esteban, Founder & CEO, Regent Travel Retail Group
• Erin Lillis, Travel Retail & Corporate Director Asia Pacific, Lacoste
• Michael Wong, Managing Director, North Asia, Avolta

Research presentations:

The Chinese Traveller Rewired: Where Demand is Going, What Travellers Want and How AI is Reshaping the Journey 

Subramania Bhatt, Founder & CEO, China Trading Desk

 North Asia Travel Shopper Research

Anna Marchesini, Business Development Director, m1nd-set

Panel 2: The Right Mix: Curating Categories for the New North Asian Traveller

North Asian travellers have moved from logo-led status spending to understated, authenticity-led choices that reflect who they are. Home-grown beauty and wellness, niche fragrance, collectables and hybrid retail concepts now win on lifestyle relevance rather than price. With price gaps narrowing and social media setting expectations before travellers reach the terminal, why should they buy here rather than at home? This session explores how travel retail can earn the sale through the right category mix, exclusivity, theatre and personalisation – and why airports need the agility to deliver pop-ups and drops at the speed of trend.

Host: Karl Walter, Partner, Blueprint

In conversation with:

• Shogo Ando, CEO & President, TMA Company, Japan
• Sean Kim, CEO & Founder, Dodeka International, Korea
• Jenny Lai, President & CEO, Mainland China, Hong Kong & Macau, The Bluebell Group
• Ranjith Menon, Regional Commercial Director, Heinemann Asia Pacific
• Andrey Zubko, CEO, Biosota Organics

5.30–6.30pm | WiTR+ Drinks Reception

6.30–10.00pm | Networking Evening on Level 58

Canapés, with wine courtesy of Global Drinks and cocktails courtesy of Pernod Ricard

Click here to Register for APTRA North Asia Forum 2026

www.aptra.asia

MEDIA ENQUIRIES: anne.kavanagh@aptra.asia

APTRA (the Asia Pacific Travel Retail Association) is a non-profit membership organisation whose purpose is to strengthen, nurture & protect the duty-free and travel retail industry in the Asia Pacific region. APTRA’s membership comprises landlords, retailers, food & beverage operators and brands. APTRA’s territory spans over 45 countries in Asia Pacific offering strategic support for members with research, knowledge sharing, networking opportunities and advocating for the industry when facing regulatory challenges and issues.