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
Blog
People
Fraser Dunlop: A survivor’s tale
What would you do if you were told at the age of 38 that you had just a few months to live? What would you do if the doctor sitting opposite you used words such as “incurable” and “inoperable” to describe your medical condition? What would you think in such circumstances if you had a
Read More
Airports
Memories are made of this
Changi Airport Terminal 1 may be in for a major makeover, but the existing facility is still pretty impressive by world standards. I made a fleeting visit through T1 recently. Yes it’s looking a little dated but it’s still ultra-efficient and there’s no doubting the diversity and richness of the shopping (especially) and food &
Read More
Miscellaneous
42 years on in duty free and going strong
Question: Which leading duty free retailer celebrated his 42nd year in the business this week? Clues: He is a former bus conductor (pictured below right); once worked on a pig farm; his two brothers both played international rugby and he once sold 1,000 Beatles records in a single day. Oh yes, he’s also a living
Read More
Miscellaneous
Celebrating a life lived to the full
Sad, moving and poignant, this week’s funeral service for Danny Galvin, the highly respected and popular CTC-ARI Airports General Manager who lost his life in a car crash in Cyprus, was also a fitting celebration of a life lived to the full. Richard Galvin spoke beautifully about the two distinct halves of his brother Danny’s
Read More
Miscellaneous
Black and Blue: When Martin met Olivier
The last time I saw Olivier Magne he broke my heart. The date was 1999, the location Twickenham Stadium in London. The occasion, the Rugby World Cup semi-final between France and New Zealand’s (then) supposedly invincible All Blacks. Seven minutes into the second half the match was going entirely to script. The All Blacks led
Read More
Miscellaneous
Jo Malone goes Wild
Last night, Jo Malone hosted a dinner at Gordon Ramsay at Claridge’s, to celebrate the launch of its new feminine fragrance, Wild Bluebell. Journalists from as far afield as Australia and Japan enjoyed Bellinis and assorted hors d’oeuvres, before dining on white onion soup with lobster, wild sea bass and asparagus, and hot chocolate and
Read More
Events
Singapore swings and slings on the Tulis’ simulated fairways
[Sunil Tuli, Susan Whelan of King Power (Thailand) and Martin Moodie] Some of the travel retail industry’s more talented and eccentric golf swings were on display in Singapore last week and The Moodie Report was on hand with a fast shutter speed camera to capture the action. The occasion was an informal introduction to the Greens
Read More
Miscellaneous
Back in (Double) Black with Diageo
Last Thursday Diageo Global Travel & Middle East hosted a media dinner to celebrate the success of Johnnie Walker Double Black, at Marcus Wareing at The Berkeley, in London. And what a dinner it was. Diageo executives gather pre-dinner in the Pomerol Room In the opulent Pomerol Room, guests enjoyed a sumptuous, specially-prepared meal, with
Read More
People
When Martin met Martyn
Ok, he doesn’t know how to spell his first name properly, but otherwise you have to say that Mars International Travel Retail Manager UK and Ireland Martyn Westbury is a guy that gets just about everything right in this business. Not only is he one of the most respected brand executives in the UK/Ireland market
Read More
People
If the (All Blacks) cap fits, wear it
With his trip to New Zealand for the Rugby World Cup just five months away, I’m pleased to report that Dubai Duty Free Managing Director Colm McLoughlin will be suitably kitted out for the occasion. As reported in a recent Blog, the Irishman is partial to quality headwear (see pictures below), and what could be
Read More
Events
Feeling the buzz in Singapore
[All photos: Jacques Gavard/TFWA] From the well-considered (and impeccably observed) minute of silence for the victims of the recent natural disasters in Japan, Australia and New Zealand at the opening conference to the close of exhibition trading 5p.m on Thursday, the TFWA Asia Pacific show hit just about every note perfectly. A total of 2,117
Read More
Airlines
Korean Air unveils its latest innovation
Surely the most talked-about stand at this year’s TFWA Asia Pacific exhibition is Korean Air’s. The world’s most successful inflight retailer has created a mock-up of an aircraft in order to show off its latest innovation – the first-ever onboard duty free shop. The shop, dubbed the ‘Duty Free Showcase’, will be a feature of