The TFWA World Exhibition & Conference in Cannes has been moved to October 24 to 28. The event was originally slated to take place September 26 to 30.
The TFWA Management Committee says the move came after consultation with members and local partners in Cannes. The decision will allow what the organization calls maximum time for brands and visitors to best prepare their participation and enable delegates to take advantage of the positive developments in the health and travel situation in Europe and elsewhere.
While TFWA says it will continue to monitor the situation, but adds that the latest steps taken by the French government to allow live events, the gradual re-opening of travel in Europe, plus the work done by the city of Cannes to ensure a safe environment makes it confident to be able to host an in-person event in October.
As reported, the organization said earlier this month that it was to push ahead with plans to host an in-person event for the Cannes show. TFWA also launched a hosted buyer program last week to support industry players looking to participate in the event. The association says response so far has been positive. Retailers have until the end of May to register for the program.
TFWA President Jaya Singh said: “There is no doubt that the return to live events is eagerly awaited by everyone in our business, and there’s a huge amount of excitement about the return of our industry’s flagship event, TFWA World Exhibition & Conference. The desire among exhibitors and buyers to meet in person to help revive our market is very clear.”
He continued: “By selecting an end of October slot for this essential diary date for travel retail professionals, we plan to give our members and their business partners more time to prepare for a successful show. With the industry’s support, TFWA is determined to deliver a world-class platform that will allow us to establish new business foundations as we move towards recovery.”