MEADFA board has decided to use its full advocacy capacities to engage with governments in Africa and the Middle East.

There are 2 objectives.

First, it is critical to ensure that countries in Africa and the Middle East understand that travel retail must be included in every financial support plan to safeguard transport and tourism.

Second, it is also key that retailers are supported by the whole industry vis a vis landlords. There is a key need for a rent relief strategy for landlords to support their retailers during these unprecedented times.

Therefore, MEADFA will as a priority engage wherever it is necessary to protect the industry and support the members.

Governments need to understand that

• Travel retail in Africa and the Middle East is a key economic player and employ more than 70,000 persons. Beyond the immediate crisis period, we anticipate that the recovery of the travel and tourism sector will take time, as airlines and tour operators gradually build capacity in the system. Summer 2020 airline bookings will be dramatically below 2019 and previous years, and winter capacity for 2020/2021 will probably be much lower as airlines take a cautious view of the market.

• Our sector is of systemic importance for aviation, maritime trade and tourism because commercial revenues are absolutely critical to the financial and economic well-being of transport and tourism infrastructures.

Lastly, every means of digital communication available will be used accordingly by MEADFA to engage properly with political and administrative authorities.

For further info please contact:
Micheline El Ammar Enkiri
Middle East & Africa Duty Free Association (MEADFA) FZE
P.O. Box 54394, Dubai -United Arab Emirates
Tel. +971 4 299 66 63, Fax. +971 4 299 66 30 – Email: info@meadfa.com