Preparations are well under way for the 12th annual conference of the Middle East & Africa Duty Free Association, the first since the Association’s formal embrace of Africa.

The Conference, which is managed by TFWA on behalf of MEADFA, will take place at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Doha, Qatar on 25th and 26th November 2013.

Keynote speaker at the event will be Akbar Al Baker, CEO of Qatar Airways, one of the Middle East’s most dynamic and fast-growing airlines. Qatar Airways is noted globally for its commitment to excellence and in May this year its cabin crew were voted the best in the world by readers of the Middle East edition of Business Traveller magazine.

The airline’s subsidiary Qatar Duty Free will manage both retail and food & beverage at Doha’s new Hamad International Airport, which is due to become fully operational this year.

The full programme of speakers at the MEADFA Conference will be revealed in due course.

Sean Staunton, President of MEADFA, comments: “We are delighted to be staging our Conference in Doha for the first time and we look forward to hearing from Akbar al Baker about the magnificent new Hamad International Airport. The programme will reflect the new focus on Africa within our Association, and we’ll also hear from many of the companies that are driving growth in our region.

“Our Conference will be the climax of a busy fortnight for the travel retail industry in the region, culminating in the Dubai Duty Free Golf World Cup on 27th and 28th. We look forward to welcoming the industry to Doha and to Dubai.”

Qatar Airways has been named official airline of the 2013 MEADFA Conference and will offer preferential rates for delegates attending the event.

Imperial Tobacco has continued its support of the MEADFA Conference by sponsoring the Smoking Lounge. Dubai Duty Free has also confirmed its participation as a Platinum Sponsor, while Dufry Sharjah will sponsor the Welcome Cocktail event.

The event’s Official Media Partners are: The Moodie Report, Travel Retail & Duty Free Markets, Duty Free News International, Frontier, Frontier Brands, Travel Retail Business, Gulf Africa Magazine and The Decision Makers.

For any enquiries with regard to sponsorship opportunities, please contact the MEADFAoffice on medfa@eim.ae

Other industry events in Dubai during Nov 2013:

The Middle East Exclusive Exhibition will be held from Nov 18-20 at the Dubai World Trade Center, followed by the Moodie Report Charity Ball taking place at the JumeirahCreekside Hotel on Nov 23.

The Dubai Duty Free Golf World Cup will be held in Dubai immediately after theMEADFA Conference on Nov 27-28.

The 2012 Conference, staged in Dubai, was attended by over 500 industry delegates.

Further details can be found at www.tfwa.com. Registration opens in September 2013.

For further information please contact

TFWA Press Office – Kate Teagle
Tel: +44 1784 434 666
www.tfwa.com
Email: press@tfwa.com