TFWA marks milestone of 40th anniversary

TFWA is turning 40 in 2024, and plans are in place to mark this momentous occasion in style across the year. The climax of the festivities will come in Cannes during the TFWA World Exhibition & Conference, when the association will be throwing a spectacular ‘birthday party’ on the final night of the event.

In the run-up to this occasion, there’s plenty of fun (and a few surprises) in store, and over the coming months TFWA’s social media channels will be keeping the industry up to date with information on a number of special events to add to diaries. During the anniversary year, key players from all walks of the duty free and travel retail business will be sharing their experiences of how the industry and the association that serves it have evolved over time, as well as their aspirations and predictions for the future. 

Throughout its 40-year journey, TFWA has proved its ability to embrace and adapt to the use of new technologies, and this tech-forward approach has provided inspiration for some key elements of TFWA’s activities this year. The visual for the 2024 TFWA World Exhibition & Conference was brought to life with the use of AI, while the creative touch of AI also played a hand in the crafting of TFWA’s seasonal greeting card.

"In this special year, I would like to take the opportunity to send all my friends and associates across the industry my best wishes for 2024 and beyond. As we take time to look back on the incredible journey TFWA has undertaken over the past four decades, we, as an industry, have every reason to feel proud of our achievements and the indomitable spirit that defines us. The dedication of our members is the bedrock of our success, and I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to each and every one of them for their unwavering support. “An anniversary also signposts the beginning of a new era. We at TFWA have our sights firmly set on what is yet to come and the travel retail experience as we head to the future. We look forward to the next chapter that is opening for the great industry that is duty free and travel retail.” 
Erik Juul-Mortensen, TFWA President