Last September, just after the ASUTIL conference in Puerto Rico, the Latin American duty free association’s President Paco Heredia stopped off in London to participate in the Frontier Awards judging. While he was there he left me an envelope to collect from a local hotel. At the time I had just been through a few
Events
The Moodie Tipster strikes (treasure) again
Yes folks, you really did read it here first… The mysterious Moodie Tipster (pictured above in a careful disguise) struck again with Sunday’s Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby. In our special readers’ competition last week, offering the chance to win a ticket in the Dubai Duty Free ‘Finest Surprise’ luxury car draw, the Tipster wrote:
Read More
Events
Derby day, Dubai Duty Free style, in Dublin
The day has dawned sunny though blustery in Dublin and all is set fair for the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby later today. Along with the Dubai Duty Free team and several of their industry colleagues and friends I’m staying at The K Club, the wonderful leisure resort that hosted the Ryder Cup back in
Read More
Miscellaneous
Fine wine, but Hewitt blew it
The Moodie Report was fortunate enough to be at Wimbledon yesterday, courtesy of the tennis championships’ official wine, Jacob’s Creek. Alongside our old friend, highly respected IWSR editor and giant of American literature Alec Smith, we were Centre Court guests of Pernod Ricard Travel Retail’s John Smailes and his colleagues Ian Williams, Charles Raciti, Neil
Read More
Events
The Moodie Tipster: Who will win the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby?
It’s been a while between drinks as they say, but I’m glad to report that The Moodie Tipster (as the carefully disguised photo above shows, we cannot reveal his identity) is back in business for this Sunday’s Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at The Curragh racetrack in Dublin. Regular readers of this Blog will know that
Read More
Miscellaneous
Baltic bonanza
If you want to witness first-hand the amazing pulling power of tax free shopping, and a market where virtually every traveller makes a purchase, I urge you to take a trip on an overnight cruise ferry in the Baltic Sea. That’s what I did this week, courtesy of Tallink-Silja, and it was an eye-opening experience.
Read More
Miscellaneous
Free of duty on Symi
Is there a more picturesque setting for a duty free shop than this anywhere in the world? I suspect not. The location is the exquisitely beautiful, blissfully tranquil island of Symi, a couple of hours by boat from Rhodes, Greece. The retailer is Hellenic Duty Free Shops, which has a small, functional store here selling
Read More
Miscellaneous
The return of Lady B
This writer’s week was considerably brightened by the news that one of travel retail’s most stylish Prodigals is returning to the fold. Fellow Cymraes Bethan Williams, who left the channel in 2007 for a domestic role within Bobbi Brown UK, has been appointed Vice President Global Market Development for Jo Malone, effective 15 July. It’s
Read More
Miscellaneous
42… and still going, going… gone!
No it wasn’t Joe Lyons (DFS North America Vice President Business Development). And no it wasn’t Heribert (Harry) Maria Diehl. The correct answer to our recent question, ‘Which leading duty free retailer celebrated his 42nd year in the business this week (i.e. the first week of June)?’ was… you (or most of you) guessed it,
Read More
Miscellaneous
Re-shaping Schiphol
The re-shaping of retail and food & beverage at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol continues apace with the ambitious remodelling of Lounge 3, due for completion over the next two months. With a series of brand new fascias for the core category stores plus bright, vibrant new concepts, travellers will soon see a very different commercial face
Read More
Miscellaneous
Another blow to Christchurch
How much more do the people of Christchurch (my home town) have to take? After two devastating earthquakes in recent months and thousands of aftershocks, the New Zealand city was struck once more today by two more sharp earthquakes, registering 5.5 and 6.0 on the Richter scale, respectively. “It’s a real mess here,” my foster
Read More
Events
Running for Japan
About a year after returning to my English homeland, I can reflect more calmly on the mental trauma wreaked by four years of life in Paris, writes John Rimmer. The City of Lights can be a dark place for an Englishman, or “un Anglo-Saxon” to employ the phrase the locals commonly use. Withering put-downs about
Read More
Miscellaneous
A new year, a new vintage
A year ago to this day, I supped on a fine wine. It was Mount Difficulty Pinot Noir from Central Otago in New Zealand. My choice of label was not an accident. Earlier that day, after a couple of weeks of tests, I had been diagnosed with stomach cancer. I suppose, with hindsight, I was in a