APTRA CONCLUDES SUCCESSFUL 2017 INSIGHTS SEMINAR SERIES

 Retailer and design company sign up as members

Nearly 400 people attended the final three APTRA KPMG Insights Seminars of 2017 and the high value content of the series has encouraged two more companies to sign up as members.

Top of the agenda at the Seoul seminar on 28^th November, which was attended by around 25 airport, retailer and brand executives, was an overview of the Korean economy by KPMG.

At the Shanghai event the following day, which attracted a similar number of audience participants, detailed insights on taxation and regulatory issues for cross-border commerce in China were the highlight of the programme.

The core elements of both seminars were KPMG research on connected consumers and how to engage future consumers, presented by Anson Bailey, Head of Consumer Markets, ASPAC, KPMG China, under the title “Innovate or die”, and m1nd-set research into consumer behaviour in duty free & travel retail.

Clara Perez, Travel Retail Director, m1nd-set gave two presentations: the first on the behaviour of Chinese shoppers from Tier 1, 2 and 3 cities, and South Korean, Indian and Japanese shoppers; secondly, on traffic forecasts for these four key markets and projections about where people will be travelling in the next 12 months in Asia Pacific and globally.

In Hong Kong these presentations were couched within the more wide-reaching ‘Holiday Season Update 2017’ event, co-organised by Retail Asia, APTRA and KPMG, on 30^th November.

Over 300 decision-makers from the retail sector in Hong Kong gathered to update on the latest trends and industry happenings, to discuss strategies and to build networks.

Several disruptors in retail presented possible channels to enable retailers and brands to connect with shoppers through platforms such as social media, customer relationship management, augmented reality and virtual reality technologies, and opinion leaders such as bloggers and vloggers.

The two new members of the Asia Pacific Travel Retail Association are Japanese retailer Blanc de Blancs and French design company Depack, which has joined as an Associate Member.

Andrew Ford, President APTRA, commented: “APTRA’s partnership with KPMG on our annual events is, as ever, valuable and effective. The seminars bring new and relevant insights to our members and the diverse mix of companies in attendance open new doors and opportunities for APTRA members. There are significant advances being made in consumer communications for retailers across Asia and we are delighted to be playing an instrumental role in ensuring the duty free and travel retail channel is aware and connected.”

For further information about the work of APTRA please consult www.aptra.asia or contact [email protected]

Ends

About APTRA

APTRA is the trade association for the duty free and travel retail industry in the Asia Pacific region, serving all members and the industry to help grow the business and protect it when challenges arise.

• Through technology-led initiatives, seminars and conferences, APTRA serves to facilitate contact between members;
• Through bespoke training initiatives, APTRA is building the industry’s brand as a highly professional, caring and responsible retail channel;
• Through intensive consumer and market research, APTRA provides a solid knowledge bank, bringing valuable, actionable data relevant to all sectors;
• Through regular communication, APTRA seeks to spread awareness and knowledge about the industry and the importance of travel retail for governments, airports, airlines and related businesses;
• Through regional monitoring, and in collaboration with member companies and trade associations in other parts of the world, APTRA is constantly on the alert for new challenges where its advocacy on behalf of the industry is needed with national governments and policy-makers in order to safeguard and grow the business of all concerned.

The geographical area covered by APTRA includes countries in Eastern Asia, South Eastern Asia, South Central Asia and Oceania.

www.aptra.asia