March 24. Remember the date. It’s the occasion when a nation will recognise a unique breed of people in a unique manner. It’s the day of the OFW Run, OFW being the acronym for Overseas Filipino Workers. The event has been sub-titled ‘Run for our modern-day nation’s heroes’. [For details please visit https://www.facebook.com/PinoyTakbo] For those
Events
Singapore switch: It is what it is
I know just how the organisers of the 2013 TFWA Asia Pacific Conference & Exhibition are feeling, following the late venue change for their Singapore event in May. Long-established location, the Singapore Suntec Centre, informed TFWA just last week that a much-touted renovation will not be complete in time for this year’s event on 12-16 May. As a result, TFWA is
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Airports
Abu Dhabi welcomes Trinity delegates in style
[Sign of the times: The Moodie Report President Jaclyn Wampler, left, and Commercial Director Mandy Sime get ready for the kick-off of The Trinity Forum 2013 tomorrow] Delegates to the 2013 Trinity Forum are pouring into Abu Dhabi in readiness for the big event which kicks off here tomorrow night with the traditional Opening Cocktail,
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Events
Let the Games begin…
As I write this Blog, we’ve just passed US$100,000 in fund-raising on the official Moodie Multi-National Marathon fund-raising site. The big event takes place on 15-18 June (with some variations, see below). That’s a lot of money for Hand in Hand for Haiti, travel retail’s own charity that not only funds, but runs, the wonderful Lycée
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Such lives we lead
Look at me standing Here on my own again Up straight in the sunshine No need to laugh and cry It’s a wonderful wonderful life No need to laugh and cry It’s a wonderful wonderful life – ‘Wonderful life’, Black I’m back in The Moodie Report’s Hong Kong Airlines’ Bureau, replete with Wi-Fi, 38,000 feet
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Events
China travel retail conferences
To put the record straight… There has been much talk during this week’s TFWA Asia Pacific show in Singapore of the two planned China travel retail conferences to be held by rival organisations in coming months. As reported, GIS Events of China and UK firm Ink are running the China Travel Retail conference in Shanghai
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Events
Singapore show swings into action as a new Foundation stone against cancer is laid
I’m back in Singapore, along with hundreds of other industry executives, for the annual TFWA Asia Pacific show and Gate One2One conference. To me this is the most enjoyable trade show of the year. Singapore is such an outstanding venue in terms of efficiency, climate and facilities. TFWA does a fantastic job and there’s also
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Events
It really is more fun in the Philippines
Mabuhay. Never was the Filipino word for welcome more appropriate than last night, as Duty Free Philippines (DFP) began its year-long 25th anniversary celebrations in style. The Moodie Report was on hand as DFP put together an extraordinary, emotion-packed evening of nostalgia, entertainment and, most importantly, recognition of the many ‘hands that built Duty Free Philippines’. The event
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Above and beyond the call of Duty (Free Philippines)
Meet the Coffee Table Committee at Duty Free Philippines. These are the amazing people who worked around the clock over the past few weeks with me and The Moodie Report production team (heroic sub-editor Jon Elphick and top-notch designer Ray Heath) to produce ‘Duty Free Philippines 25 Years – Aquino to Aquino’, a coffee table
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Events
Entering the conference theatre of the absurd
Tell me please that this in some way makes sense… Chinese company GIS Events and Ink of the UK announce the first ‘China Travel Retail Event’ to take place in Shanghai on 24-25 July, 2012, and thereafter annually. Days later (though, to be fair, after “around ten years” in development) TFWA announces the association’s first
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The way we were
In researching our forthcoming Coffee Table Book to celebrate Duty Free Philippines’ 25th anniversary – ‘Duty Free Philippines 25 Years – Aquino to Aquino’ – I came across many old industry photos that present compelling and often poignant memories of the past quarter century. By coincidence I entered the travel retail industry the same year
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Events
Swimming, running and riding The ‘Moodie-thon’
Word reaches The Moodie Blog of some extraordinary efforts being put in around the world for the second Moodie Multi-National Marathon, due to take place between 15 and 18 June. As reported, teams of six from travel retail companies will each run one-sixth of a marathon (7.03km), with members being able to take part anywhere
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Airports
A DFS Master class
DFS promised “an ensemble of significant fine, rare and extraordinary spirits, wines and Champagnes”. And boy, didn’t they just deliver… Blogging in the early, still jet-lagged hours of the morning after the (extraordinary) night before, I’m still buzzing about what I experienced at Master of Spirits II at the Grand Hyatt in Singapore. For any