TFWA China key speakers announced

The 2019 TFWA China’s Century Conference has announced that China Duty Free Group (CDFG), Central Japan International Airport (Nagoya), Alibaba, Ctrip.com and Lagardère Travel Retail will be represented on stage at the Grand Hyatt hotel in Sanya, Haitang Bay from 5-7 March.

On the first day CDFG president Charles Chen will share his vision of the future of travel retail in China. Kevin Guo, general manager of Strategic Cooperation and marketing innovation for Ctrip.com, will examine the latest travel and shopping trends among Chinese tourists, while the changing tastes of Chinese travellers will be examined by Masanao Tomozoe, president and CEO of Central Japan International Airport and Eudes Fabre, CEO of Lagardère Travel Retail China.

Delegates will also enjoy a preview of highlights from a research study commissioned by TFWA and APTRA and conducted by Counter Intelligence Retail, which looks at new trends and perceptions among young Chinese consumers, with additional insight coming from speakers including Mirko Wang, CEO of popular shopping comparison app Jessica’s Secret. A panel of senior executives from WeChat and Alibaba will offer their perspectives on the rise of e-commerce and resulting changes to consumer behaviour. 

Day two of the conference will explore further core themes affecting the Chinese market, ranging from the influence of key opinion leaders to new opportunities arising from the growth in the cruise market in China. Economist and author Ann Lee will explore how the world is conducting business with China, while Dr. Eve Ren, president of the Institute for Tourism Studies, and Andrea Belardini, CEO Asia, ME and Australia at Dufry, will analyse the future of Chinese domestic tourism and resulting opportunities in travel retail.

As in previous editions of the conference, attendees can register for TFWA’s ONE2ONE personalised appointment service, through which they can apply for private meetings with other registered delegates. Full details of the ONE2ONE service are available on TFWA.com.  

The Opening Cocktail will be held at The Sand, Shangri-La Sanya Resort & Spa from 19:00 to 21:00 on Tuesday 5 March, and the Gala Dinner, hosted by DFS, will be held at the Northern Event Lawn of the Grand Hyatt Sanya from 19:30 on Wednesday 6 March.