TFWA notes the ‘surge in interest’ across wine and spirit categories
The Tax Free World Association (TFWA) has emphasised how the drinks sector plays an “important part” in its shows. In the lead-up to the 2026 event hosted in Cannes, the association revealed that, despite travel retail constantly evolving, the wine and spirits categories have shown “strength” and staying power.
The TFWA World Exhibition & Conference, which returns to the Palais des Festivals in Cannes from 27 September to 1 October, has addressed how crucial the drinks sector is to travel retail. In its latest communications about the 2026 agenda for the conference and exhibition, the association stated intentions to offer attendees a raft of actionable insights and guidance for navigating a rapidly changing travel retail landscape.
The drinks sector reflects both ‘strength’ and evolutionary ‘pace’
Speaking to the drinks business, TFWA president Sarah Branquinho said: “The wines and spirits category has always been an important part of the TFWA World Exhibition & Conference, reflecting both the strength of the sector and the pace at which it continues to evolve.”
Indeed, the global travel retail (GTR) platform, has long been an integral part of drinks launches, with brand owners and buyers alike benefiting from the theatre that airport retail, airlines and cruises offer for attracting consumer attention for new and exclusive products. Now, however, GTR is actively recognising its contribution and tipping its hat to the fundamental role that the drinks industry has played – and continues to – for the global stage.
Branquinho told db that “over the years TFWA has reflected the surge in interest in categories from trending vodka and Tequilas, to high end and craft gins, to the explosion in premium malts, and the incredible growth of the fine wine category”.
Assessing geopolitics and consumer behaviour
This year, the show’s workshops and discussions will explore topics that will span from geopolitics and mobility to examining human behaviour and consumer engagement. The show, which brings together global travel retail professionals for a week, not only serves as a meeting point for brand owners, retailers, industry stakeholders, but it also offers a glimpse into the future of travel.
Noting the importance of the show in bringing key people together to boost business and make connections with other influential movers and shakers from all over the globe, Branquinho explained: “TFWA continues to offer a valuable opportunity to brands to meet the key decision-makers from across the world who introduce and promote their products at airports, on airlines, cruise ships and ferries to an international audience, to exchange ideas and build relationships that can support long-term growth.”
Exploring the forces shaping the future of the industry
Kicking off the premier event is the TFWA World Conference programme, taking place on Monday 28 September, from 9am to 11:45am in the Grand Auditorium of the Palais des Festivals. This year’s line-up is designed to explore the forces shaping the future of the industry and a robust workshop programme is set to also bring together leading industry experts together to examine the trends, behaviours and innovations across the sector.
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Under the theme Shaping the World of Travel Retail, the conference will also explore other elements redefining the industry. For 2026, returning as moderator the journalist and presenter Stephen Sackur will guide a morning designed to “challenge assumptions and inspire new thinking” before Branquinho will address attendees by revealing the industry’s current position and the opportunities emerging despite shifts in traveller expectations and global commerce.
Innovation, sustainability and global mobility
The first session will see economist and author David McWilliams discuss the geopolitical and economic realities affecting international business. As globalisation enters a new and more fragmented phase, the TFWA has said that the session will examine the impact of moving trade dynamics and political instability on industries built around openness and mobility.
The programme then turns to the future of travel itself with Gilles Roucolle, managing director and head of industries at Oliver Wyman and author of Transformations in Mobility. Roucolle’s session will explore how airports and other transport hubs are evolving in response to technological innovation, sustainability and changing traveller expectations. As mobility becomes smarter, more connected and increasingly experience-driven, the discussion will consider how commercial spaces may transform, and what this means for the future relationship between travellers, brands and destinations.
The conference will conclude with journalist and author Charles Duhigg exploring the currents shaping human performance and behaviour, and how these adaptations are influencing the consumer of the future. As the TFWA has noted, at a time when attention, habits and decision-making are increasingly influenced by technology and constant connectivity, understanding why people behave the way they do has become essential for an industry seeking more relevant relationships with travellers.
Bringing conversations together
Branquinho admitted that travel retail has always demonstrated “resilience and an extraordinary ability to adapt and evolve” but reiterated that now it is “more important than ever to understand the broader forces influencing our business and the changing needs of travellers”. This, she insisted, is why “the 2026 World Exhibition & Conference has been designed to provide exactly that perspective, bringing together world-class thinkers to share knowledge and provide valuable insight for the decisions ahead”.
Branquinho told db that the 2026 event is crucial for business for the drinks sector since “buyers can explore new launches and emerging trends while gaining insight into how brands are responding to changing consumer expectations” and pointed out that “bringing these conversations together in one place remains one of the strengths of the event”.
To find out more about Branquinho and what the global travel retail sector needs to do to continue to secure its future read more in db‘s interview with the TFWA president.
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