Wedding bells in Singapore and watch this space in Doha

by Martin Moodie |
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Martin Moodie

Martin Moodie is the Founder & Chairman of The Moodie Report.

This Blog begins at 34,016 feet over Saudi airspace, south of Abu Dhabi en route to Doha from Singapore.

I’ve an important assignment – one of many in recent years – at Hamad International Airport tomorrow before continuing on to my first visit to the UK in ten months.

After all those pandemic-ravaged months of not being able to enter Singapore despite only living a three-hour flight away, I’ve been to the city state twice in the space of a fortnight. The first was for our Smile Raising Dinner and TFWA Asia Pacific; the second a whistlestop visit for the joyous wedding yesterday of Foreo Global Travel Retail Director Gary Leong to artist and model Lilith Yu.

The happy couple after the signing
One World Duty Free Founder & CEO Keira Zhang was on hand at the wedding just before a big day for her company (look out for my story coming soon). You can read my recent interview with Keira here.
Enjoying a post-wedding cigar and a refreshing glass in great company

I flew out of Singapore very early Sunday morning and after a few hours shut-eye am now in my Interim Doha Bureau at the always top-notch Hyatt Regency Oryx Doha, all good to go again on the website that never sleeps.

Joy then on a Saturday but news of immense sadness has reached me on a Sunday. More of that at the appropriate moment tomorrow. Life is fast, sometimes too fast. It is also fleeting.

A first sight of Qatar Duty Free as I arrive at Hamad International Airport. There is much more to come over the next 24 hours. Watch this space.
The Qatari flag flies high in downtown Doha

Picture Gallery: Late night scenes from Changi Airport

Good to see the renowned Italian fashion brand Stefano Ricci set to make its Changi debut
While most of the shops were shuttered by the time I got to Changi in the wee small hours this morning, Lotte Duty Free was still open. And still processing some very good transactions. This couple, for example, bought four bottles of high-end Chinese Baijiu.

A welcome sight for Moët Hennessy Travel Retail with this transaction of two bottles of Hennessy XO and one of Belvedere vodka. Staying open into the early hours can pay dividends.

It was thoughtful of Martell to put up a sign explaining why for once I was away from my screen
I love late night scenes at airports as travellers find ingenious ways to rest up before their onward flights

I also like experiencing promotions that we have written about, such as this ‘Fly With Me’ multi-brand fragrance discovery pop-up at T1 from Coty Travel Retail Asia Pacific in partnership with The Shilla Duty Free and Changi Airport Group

Closed for business but open for admiration. The Louis Vuitton boutique beckons and gleams even when shut.
Now that is what you call a classy garden neighbourhood