With a significant number of participants already pre-registered for the 2023 MEADFA Conference, scheduled to take place in Accra, Ghana, more information has been disclosed about the event's speakers and key topics. This annual conference, overseen by TFWA, will be held from November 19th to the 21st at the Kempinski Hotel Gold Coast City, marking the first time it will be hosted in West Africa.
MEADFA President Sherif Toulan will commence the conference with a welcoming address on Monday, November 20th. The opening session will feature insights from Pamela Djamson-Tettey, Managing Director of Ghana Airports; Dina El Sherif, Commercial Development Director at Egyptian Airports Co; and Youssef Jroundi, Commercial Director of ONDA Morocco.
The morning session will continue with inputs from duty-free and travel retail experts from the region, including Keith Hunter from Hunter Palmer Global Retail Solutions, Abdeslam Azgoul, CEO Middle East and Africa at Dufry, and Nico Reifkogel, Director of Business Development at Gebr Heinemann.
Subsequent sessions will delve into illicit trade and the post-Covid MEA traveler, with contributions from Rob Marriott, Chair of the MEADFA Advocacy Group; Roger Jackson, Managing Director at Organico Solutions; Milika Kalyati, Corporate Affairs and Communications Manager at JT International SA; Sarah Branquinho, President of the Duty Free World Council; Stephen Hillam, Managing Director of Pi Insight, and Christy Tawii, Research Manager for Sub-Saharan Africa at Euromonitor.
The second day will feature more sessions focusing on the industry's recovery and an emphasis on African shoppers. Participants will hear from Kojo Bentum Williams, Founder and Publisher of VoyagesAfriq Travel Media and Lead Communications at UNWTO Africa; Martina Bednarikova, Economist and Policy Analyst at IATA, and Clive Jones, CEO of Tourvest Retail Services.
Later in the day, sustainability and innovation will be the focal points, with Munif Mohammed, MEADFA's Sustainability Lead and Lagardère Travel Retail CEO Saudi Arabia, Nicolas Bry, Innovation Booster at Orange Africa, and Manuel Gonzalez, Global Marketing Director at Beam Suntory, providing expert insights on these topics.
In addition to the extensive learning opportunities, attendees will enjoy a packed social program, including an opening cocktail on Sunday evening, a gala dinner on Monday night, and networking coffee and lunch breaks throughout the conference.
Dufry is hosting this year's MEADFA Conference, given its significant presence in Africa with operations across several countries on the continent.
Additional sponsors for this year's MEADFA Conference include Diamond Sponsors such as Aphrodite Sarl, GN Tobacco Sweden AB, Imperial Brands Global Duty Free & Export S.L.U., Inter African Marketing International Duty Free Trading & Agencies (IDF), and Ghandour Cosmetics – Scent of Africa, as well as Platinum Sponsors like Dubai Duty Free, Mondelēz World Travel Retail, Pernod Ricard Gulf, and Hama Gulf, among others. Coffee Break sponsors include Nestle and Lindt.
Additionally, Altimex, Bloom, Energiser, Ixir, and Liviko, along with Airline Partners Air France – KLM, are also sponsors of the event. Media Partners for the conference include The Moodie Davitt Report, TR Business Limited, Global Travel Retail Magazine, DFNI-Frontier, and Euromonitor International.
The strong industry support and growing number of registrations reflect the interest for exploring the promising African market and staying up to date on developments in the Middle East.
“With a comprehensive agenda featuring distinguished speakers and thought-provoking sessions, we are confident that delegates will gain valuable knowledge and build meaningful connections. In Accra, we are not only brought together to learn and connect but also to celebrate the dynamics and excellence of the travel retail industry.
“Join us in Accra as we unite to shape the future of travel retail, embarking on a journey filled with opportunities for networking and growth.” Sherif Toulan, MEADFA President
“With international passengers departing the Middle East and Africa set to reach 94% of 2019 levels this year, the MEADFA Conference will allow delegates to discover more about the vast opportunities in this dynamic region. With the event taking place in West Africa for the first time, the MEADFA Conference will provide the platform for the industry to connect and do business in a region with vast commercial potential. The MEADFA Conference remains a highlight in the duty free and travel retail calendar, and we are pleased to be partnering MEADFA in this event once again.”
Erik Juul-Mortensen, TFWA President