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RETAIL | It goes without saying that 2020 hasn’t been a typical year. COVID-19 and the associated lockdowns and border closures have wreaked havoc on individuals, communities, and business across the globe. The aviation, tourism and travel retail sectors have been some of the hardest hit by this.
The world however, keeps on turning, and industries have to adapt, both to the present, and the uncertain future as people inevitably get set to travel once more. I was invited to a first of its kind event for the industry this year, the Moodie Davitt 2020 Virtual Travel Expo, held entirely online during 12-16 October 2020.
My purpose there was to, as a Key Opinion Leader (“KOL”), provide my insights into several topics of relevance to the industry and attendees, and to also sample a selection of products launching in travel retail across the globe in 2020 and 2021. I was excited, and very curious to see how it would all come together.
It was a very impressively put together event – kudos to all involved in making it happen, in particular Moodie Davitt and the FILTR team. For my insights, I submitted answers to a number of questions in the form of video recordings. These were collated into a coherent, flowing presentation with the responses of other KOL’s. The TLDR version of what I said is essentially that people are going to be itching to travel when it’s allowed once more, and in the interim will want to capture some of the experiences, or feelings that travel gives them, from their homes.
Authenticity will become even more important than it has been in the past, and “catch all” KOL/Influencer campaigns will need to give way for more tailored collaborations. KOL/Influencers know their audience better than anyone, and they should have a greater impact into what and how they will communicate what a brand is about/can offer, to that audience.
The KOL presentation was one of hundreds of presentations and livestreams that occurred throughout the expo. The expo brought together thousands of individuals from the aviation, tourism and travel retail sectors across the globe to discuss the challenges, opportunities and innovations that this year has brought. An almost video game-like virtual lobby split off into theatres and expo halls, where attendees, could visit exhibitor stalls and read about new products, watch videos, and connect one on one with brand representatives. In the theatre, brand representatives were conducting live interviews, masterclasses for things like cocktail making, fashion shows, and more.
The stats for the event are impressive. There were 17,007 visits, 4,343 unique visitors, and at one time over 1,000 attendees logged on simultaneously. Attendees visited stands and suites 183,611 times over the course of the expo. For a detailed run down on what was discussed at the event and how it unfolded, check out this post on the Moodie Davitt website.
As for the products that I received to sample, I opted to work with brands that I know, whose products I’ve enjoyed in the past, who have a link to experiences that I’ve had in my own food and travel adventures. Here’s what I received – click on the links to find out more.
Victorinox Launches Lightweight Airox Luggage Collection
Glenfiddich Launches Grand Cru 23 Year Old
Amarula Ethiopian Cold Brew Martini: Recipe
Grey Goose Elderflower Dirty Martini: Recipe
Choya Single Year Golden Ume Fruit Pear Creme: Recipe
Where there are challenges, there is opportunity and innovation. The opportunity to fly to Cannes, France (where the expo was originally slated to be physically held) is something that I wish I could have done, but even virtually, I really enjoyed being a part of the 2020 Virtual Travel Expo. There was a real vibe and energy when logged on, and it got me even more excited for the the future of the industry, and getting set to travel again.