This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.
Feature
Preview: Summit of the Americas 2022
Having been on hiatus due to the pandemic, the Summit of the Americas’ physical event is set to return this month in a new venue.
This year marks the first physical Summit of the Americas show since before the pandemic, and the first in a new venue in Florida. Organised by the International Association of Airport and Duty Free Stores (IAADFS), the annual travel retail show for the Americas will be held on 10‐13 April at the Palm Beach Convention Center in West Palm Beach, Florida.
In 2020, the show was cancelled because of the pandemic, while the following year the event was hosted online, and welcomed more than 2,700 viewers. Previous shows have been held in Orlando, Florida.
Michael Payne, president and CEO of IAADFS, is particularly enthused about returning to Florida for this year’s show. “Having everyone back together face to face for me will be the highlight, as well as being in a new venue for the first time,” he says.
Focus on content
This year’s show will be slightly different to previous ones, with a greater focus on content and networking opportunities. “We received substantial feedback through surveys, focus group discussions and individual conversations on best approaches to provide a cost‐effective and valuable format to help bring attendees back after some very tough economic challenges,” explains Payne.
“Accordingly, we are providing more content and executive learning sessions with our various content partners, which is new for us. We have scaled back the size of the exhibit space based on almost everyone’s suggestion, along with more networking opportunities so it is a more intimate and hopefully user‐friendly event, all located in the Palm Beach Convention Center. There is much more flexibility for attendees to select what they most want to accomplish, visit exhibits, attend learning sessions, network in one‐on‐one meetings and/or enjoy the social events as they wish.”
Payne also expects “robust” attendance numbers, and noted that exhibition space is nearly booked up (at the time of writing in February). Furthermore, Payne notes that the spirits category will be well represented at this year’s show, with companies such as Brown‐Forman, Diageo, Balcones Distilling, Flor de Caña rum, Fraternity Spirits and Pernod Ricard exhibiting.
One company returning to the 2022 show for its fourth outing is Japanese fruit liqueur maker Choya Umeshu (stand 215). Katsu Suzuki, vice‐president of Choya Umeshu USA, said: “We decided to exhibit again this year to promote Choya in the duty free market in North and South America.” The firm is seeking to expand its communication in the market. The producer will offer its Choya Extra Years, Choya Extra Shiso and Royal Honey expressions. The company will also unveil its Choya Utage Aged 3 Years at the show.
Italian producer Bottega will also make its return to the Summit of the Americas fair (stand 106). The firm says its aim is to meet its customers in the region and ‘face the challenges of the recovery after the pandemic’. As well as its Prosecco portfolio, Bottega will showcase its new Tiramisù and Gianduia Fondente liqueurs, a pre‐mixed Negroni and Gin Bacur.
The Tiramisù liqueur is made with a base of cream from the Alps, and Mascarpone cheese. The liquid is bottled at 17% ABV and is recommended served with bitter cocoa powder or mixed with vermouth‐based cocktails. Meanwhile, the Gianduia Fondente liqueur is made with Sicilian hazelnut paste and Santo Domigo cocoa that leads to fruity and floral hints with dark chocolate notes. The 17% ABV liqueur can be mixed in cocktails or served with ice cream.
Wine and spirits brand agency Duty Free Global is seeking to expand distribution in the Americas, and will meet key partners and retailers at the show. Founder Barry Geoghegan says: “Duty Free Global is seeing growth in the Americas, and we have expanded our team in North America, with Michael Pasternak, and Latin America, with John Gallagher.
“We are excited to showcase our brands, and feel it is important to meet with retailers face to face at a physical show this year where they can taste and touch products.”
Duty Free Global will offer a range of products at stand 107, including Buffalo Trace Distillery Bourbons such as Buffalo Trace, Weller, Eagle Rare and EH Taylor.
“We will have a selection of new novelties and pack sizes for GTR, including Parrot Bay ice pops and sparkling cocktails, as well as the new one‐litre Fireball GTR pack,” adds Geoghegan. “The peanut butter craze is huge in the Americas, and we will be tasting the new Sheep Dog Peanut Butter whiskey.”
The firm will also offer Myer’s Original Dark and Jung & Wulff rums from Trinidad, Guyana and Barbados, as well as Five Farms Single Batch Irish Cream and Somrus Cream Liqueurs. Duty Free Global will also showcase new pack designs for Fireball and Southern Comfort. Gins include Broker’s London Dry Gin, and Silent Pool Gin’s one‐litre Rare Citrus and Green Man Gin.
Flor de Caña will also offer its ultra‐premium rums aged for 12, 18 and 25 years at the show, as well as recent launches: Flor de Caña Eco Rum and Flor de Caña 130th Anniversary Rum. The company has reserved a private meeting room (number 1K) at the convention centre. The brand will also unveil a pre‐sale of its Flor de Caña V Generaciones 30 Years Old.
2022 programme
The programme for the 2022 Summit of the Americas will explore the issues facing the duty free and travel retail industry, with seminars held on 11 and 12 April. The programme has been “designed not just to deliver impactful information but also to encourage dialogue and engagement from the audience”, says Payne.
This year’s show will cover topics including Airport Infrastructure and Retail Challenges, a session created with content partners the Airport Restaurant and Retail Association and The Moodie Davitt Report; Cruise Retail in the Post‐Covid Climate, with DFNI and M1nd‐set; Adapting to the Future of Work, with Women in Travel Retail and Travel Markets Insider; TR Consumer Forum – Americas Special Edition, with TR Business and M1nd‐set; LatAm Moves Forward, with Asutil; and Global Advocacy in the Covid Era, with Hume Brophy.
The TR Consumer Forum on 12 April will present the latest air‐traffic forecast for the region, with insights into consumer behaviour and a look at how sustainability will affect the channel.
The 90‐minute session will be hosted by Peter Mohn, CEO of M1nd‐set, and will feature Jackie McDonagh, general manager, Aer Rianta International North America, and Enrique Urioste, South America sub cluster general manager, Dufry.
Meanwhile, the Global Advocacy in the Covid Era seminar will look at the regulatory challenges facing the duty free and travel retail industry in the Americas and worldwide. The 2022 event will also adhere to all safety protocols and best practices in implementing the programme and social activities.
For more information on the show, visit www.2022summitoftheamericas.org.