Year in Review
Introduction
Welcome to our review of another memorable year in travel retail. With the pandemic firmly in the rear-view mirror, passenger traffic has roared ahead in most markets; international and domestic markets combined achieved full global recovery compared to 2019 by late 2024, according to Airports Council International.
However, that recovery in one key fundamental – traveller numbers – has been accompanied by weak consumer purchasing patterns across many geographies, amid a period of sluggish economic growth. In Asia Pacific, while Chinese outbound tourism is in revival, the high spends associated with those travellers have not returned.
The Moodie Davitt Report’s best read stories of 2024
We bring you the list of the ten best-read news items from travel retail’s most popular home page, www.moodiedavittreport.com, from 1 January to 18 December 2024.
The Hershey Company introduces a ‘sweet’ of activations to celebrate ‘I love Reese’s Day’
Philip Morris International introduces IQOS Iluma i devices to Japan travel retail
In Memoriam: Colm McLoughlin, travel retail pioneer, industry statesman and great man of Ireland
Restructure, reinvention and revival – Ed Brennan spells out the way forward for DFS
Historic day in Abu Dhabi as newly named Zayed International Airport is inaugurated
Aena to host Airport Food & Beverage + Hospitality Conference and Awards in Barcelona in June 2025
Chanel and Qatar Duty Free tell an extraordinary Winter Tale at Hamad International Airport
Recognising the best of travel food & beverage and hospitality: FAB 2024 award winners revealed
Video exclusive: Avolta CEO Xavier Rossinyol on game-changing loyalty programme Club Avolta
Lagardère Travel Retail captures Amsterdam Airport Schiphol duty-free contract
Overlay that with conflict in the Middle East and Ukraine, and the uncertainty about the US approach to the world under a second Trump presidency, and the near-term outlook appears cloudy.
And yet there are also many reasons for optimism. We continue to see the rapid emergence of Indian outbound travel; aviation investment in Saudi Arabia reflects a grand ambition to make the Kingdom a tourism hotspot of the future; while the shifting demographics of travel worldwide means more Gen Zs and Millennials are flying as they seek out new experiences.
We are also seeing creativity, arguably like never before, in how brands are developing and executing campaigns and new launches alongside their retail partners – and using travel retail as a prime vehicle with which to connect with their audiences.
In these pages we reflect how our sector has faced up to the challenge of remaining relevant in the face of a changing consumer demands through 2024. We present our choice of the most striking and memorable images, video, interviews, Blogs and ESG initiatives of the past 12 months, plus we proudly bring you our People of the Year selections, representing an outstanding and diverse list of achievers and leaders in thought and action.
We wish all of our readers health and happiness over the festive season and peace and prosperity in 2025.
Martin Moodie Founder & Chairman The Moodie Davitt Report
Dermot Davitt President The Moodie Davitt Report
Partner’s message
The Moodie Davitt eZine
Issue 342 | 19 December 2024
The Moodie Davitt eZine is published 14 times per year by The Moodie Davitt Report (MA Travel Retail). © All material is copyright and cannot be reproduced without the permission of the Publisher. To find out more visit www.moodiedavittreport.com and to subscribe, please e-mail kristyn@moodiedavittreport.com