TFWA show triumphs over difficulties

An overall drop in footfall was evident at TFWA World Exhibition last week but, as Erik Juul-Mortensen, TFWA president pointed out: “There was still a buzz around the exhibition this year in spite of the difficulties prior to the event both in the city of Cannes and in the industry as a whole."

A total of 6,558 visitors from 3,026 companies attended exhibition and conference 2015, compared with 6,701 visitors (-2%) from 3,105 companies (-3%) last year.

Of the total, 2,183 people (33%) were key buyers - duty free & travel retail operators and landlords of airports, airlines, ferry, cruise, border and downtown concerns - up 2% on the previous year’s figure of 2,132, from 643 companies vs 618 in 2014 (+4%).

Adding the 2,401 agents and distributors (1,145 companies) to this figure produces a total of 4,584 (1,788 companies) present at this year’s event.

On the 21,500sqm trade floor were 482 exhibitors (475 in 2014), including eight luxury yachts in the Harbour Village, 48 of them new or returning after an absence.

“The fact that TFWA World Exhibition & Conference opened on schedule just two weeks after the appalling flooding in the city, with virtually all facilities in the Palais des Festivals and at our other venues provided as planned, is testament to the hard work and commitment of all our partners in the city.

“The slight reduction in the total number of visitors compared with last year’s record figure bears witness to the difficult economic and geopolitical climate in the world today. However, I am delighted to report that our key visitor category – landlords, duty free & travel retail operators – was extremely well represented with a 2% increase in delegates and 4% rise in the number of companies over 2014. Agents and distributors also arrived in greater numbers than last year, which is very pleasing.”

The 2016 TFWA World Exhibition and Conference in Cannes will be held October 2-7.

26 October 2015 - Felicity Murray The Drinks Report, editor