Duty-free and travel retail play a vital role in shaping the modern airport experience, offering passengers world-class shopping, service, and exclusive product selections. This award recognises the most outstanding airport retailer of the past year—one that has demonstrated exceptional innovation, resilience, and leadership in elevating airport retail globally.

Submissions should outline:

• Innovation & transformation: How your business has adapted, evolved, and innovated to drive performance and enhance the passenger experience.
• Proudest achievement: A standout success from the past year, detailing its execution, impact, and key takeaways.
• Customer-centric excellence: Evidence of enhancing customer experience, personalisation, and operational excellence, setting new benchmarks for airport retail.
• Omnichannel & digital innovation: How your business has integrated e-commerce, digital retail solutions, AI-driven personalisation, mobile pre-ordering, virtual shopping, or interactive in-store experiences to enhance engagement and drive sales.
• Sustainability: How sustainability is embedded in commercial strategy, product curation, store design, and operational practices.

From destination airports to key transit hubs, airports worldwide are evolving to meet the expectations of increasing passenger numbers. Providing an exceptional shopping and customer experience is now a core part of their success. This award recognises the airport that has demonstrated the most innovative, commercially supportive, and customer-centric approach to travel retail in the past year.

Submissions should outline:

• Strategic commitment to travel retail: A culture and commercial strategy that prioritises retail as a key pillar of the airport experience.
• Adaptability & innovation: A flexible approach to operations, partnerships, and financial models, ensuring resilience and growth in an evolving landscape.
• Impact on retail performance: Demonstrated success in navigating challenges and driving positive outcomes for sales, customer experience, retailer satisfaction, and staff retention.
• Trinity collaboration: Evidence of effective collaboration between airport, retailers, and brands to enhance the overall shopping experience.
• Sustainability: How sustainability is embedded across commercial strategies, retail design, operations, and passenger engagement.

As travel rebounds, duty-free retail continues to evolve with next-generation store concepts, immersive experiences, and expanded category offerings. This award recognises the most outstanding new duty-free store opening, transformation, or expansion that has significantly enhanced the traditional multi-category duty-free environment.

Submissions should outline:

• Retail innovation & customer experience: How the store integrates cutting-edge retail technology, experiential activations, or digital enhancements to engage travellers.
• Design & layout excellence: The quality of store design, layout, and overall concept, ensuring a seamless and engaging customer journey.
• Curation & relevance: A thoughtfully-curated product mix featuring international brands, core duty-free categories, and local product offerings that align with traveller demographics and purchasing behaviours.
• Sustainability & responsible retailing: How sustainability is embedded in store design, materials, operations, and product selection to support environmental goals.
  

As the boundaries between retail, dining, and experience continue to blur, travel spaces are evolving into multi-sensory destinations. This award recognises an innovative retail and dining hybrid concept or F&B offering that goes above and beyond the norm, offering travellers a seamless, engaging, and experiential environment.

Submissions should outline:

• Innovation & concept excellence: How the experience blends retail, hospitality, and dining to create a cohesive and engaging concept or sets a new benchmark in travel retail F&B offerings
• Customer experience & interaction: Evidence of experiential elements, personalised service, and interactive touchpoints that encourage dwell time and enhance engagement.
• Curation & brand integration: How the space merges product discovery with hospitality, whether through exclusive product pairings, immersive storytelling, or bespoke offerings.
• Commercial success & operational excellence: How the concept drives sales, increases footfall, and creates a seamless customer journey across retail and hospitality.
• Sustainability: How eco-conscious materials, responsible sourcing, and waste reduction strategies are embedded within the experience.

The judging period for this category covers openings from 1 June 2023 – 1 June 2025. 

Specialty retail continues to play a key role in elevating the travel shopping experience, offering unique, highly curated, and category-specific concepts that cater to discerning travellers. This award celebrates an outstanding specialty retail concept in travel retail that has launched or undergone a significant transformation in the past year, setting a new standard for design, innovation, and consumer engagement.

Submissions should outline:

• Retail Innovation & customer experience: How the store concept integrates experiential elements, digital touchpoints, or personalised services to enhance the shopping journey.
• Design & concept excellence: The quality of store design, layout, and execution, ensuring a cohesive and immersive retail experience tailored to the category.
• Curation & differentiation: How the store showcases a well-curated product selection that meets the demands of modern travellers—whether through luxury, niche, or locally inspired offerings.
• Category Expertise & commercial success: How the concept drives sales and enhances brand positioning, whether through exclusive collaborations, digital-first strategies, or innovative merchandising approaches.
• Sustainability & responsible retailing: How sustainable practices have been incorporated into store design, operations, and product sourcing.
  

• Innovation & transformation: How your business has adapted, evolved, and innovated to drive performance and enhance the shopping experience.
• Proudest achievement: A standout success from the past year, detailing its execution, impact, and key takeaways.
• Customer-centric excellence: Evidence of enhancing customer experience, personalisation, and operational excellence, setting new benchmarks in border, downtown, and port retail.
• Omnichannel & digital innovation: How your business has integrated e-commerce, digital retail solutions, AI-driven personalisation, mobile pre-ordering, virtual shopping, or interactive in-store experiences to engage travellers and drive sales.
• Sustainability: How sustainability is embedded in commercial strategy, product curation, store design, and operational practices.

• Innovation & transformation: How your business has adapted, evolved, and innovated to drive performance and enhance the onboard shopping experience.
• Proudest achievement: A standout success from the past year, detailing its execution, impact, and key takeaways.
• Guest-centric excellence: Evidence of enhancing the guest experience, personalisation, and operational excellence, setting new benchmarks for cruise and ferry retail.
• Omnichannel & digital innovation: How your business has integrated e-commerce, AI-driven personalisation, pre-order and click & collect, digital concierge services, virtual shopping, or interactive onboard retail experiences to engage passengers and drive sales.
• Sustainability: How sustainability is embedded in commercial strategy, product curation, onboard store design, and operational practices.

• Innovation & transformation: How your business has adapted, evolved, and innovated to drive performance and enhance the passenger shopping experience.
• Proudest achievement: A standout success from the past year, detailing its execution, impact, and key takeaways.
• Customer-centric excellence: Evidence of enhancing the passenger experience, personalisation, and operational efficiency, setting new benchmarks for inflight retail.
• Omnichannel & digital innovation: How your business has integrated e-commerce, AI-driven personalisation, pre-order and home delivery services, app-based shopping, digital payment solutions, or interactive inflight experiences to engage travellers and increase conversion.
• Sustainability: How sustainability is embedded in commercial strategy, product curation, packaging, waste reduction initiatives, and operational practices.

The best travel retail campaign, activation or pop-up by a RETAILER/LANDLORD, judged against a range of factors including innovation, concept and consumer impact. This can be a physical or digital initiative – or both.

Submissions should outline:

• Innovation: The quality and creativity of initiative in concept and design
• Responsiveness: A good match between concept and market trend
• Consumer engagement: How the activation delivered effective consumer engagement, leading to a positive reception
• Tailored concept: An innovative offer and expertise for specialist category concepts including new ideas to maximise sales
• Sustainability: Showcase how sustainability is embedded across mentioned activities

This award celebrates the standout beauty product in travel retail that has launched in the global market within the last 18 months. Recognising innovation, desirability, and commercial success, the award honours a product that has made a significant impact in the sector. The period under review is January 2024 – May 2025.

Judges will evaluate:

• Hero product qualities: Standout design, packaging, pricing, and versatility, setting it apart from competitors in the category.
• Commercial performance: Demonstrated sales success in global travel retail (please provide performance metrics).
• Brand visibility & activation: Strong GTR activations, marketing campaigns, social media engagement, and consumer interaction that have elevated brand presence.
• Sustainability & innovation: Where possible, highlight sustainable ingredients, eco-conscious packaging, or responsible production methods.
• Digital & omnichannel innovation: Mention use of AI-driven recommendations, virtual try-ons, e-commerce integrations, or phygital experiences that enhance shopper engagement where possible

The best travel retail campaign, activation or pop-up by a SUPPLIER/BRAND, judged against a range of factors including innovation, concept and consumer impact. This can be a physical or digital initiative – or both.

Submissions should outline:

• Innovation: The quality and creativity of initiative in concept and design
• Responsiveness: A good match between concept and market trend.
• Consumer engagement: How the activation delivered effective consumer engagement, leading to a positive reception.
• Tailored concept: An innovative offer and expertise for specialist category concepts including new ideas to maximise sales.
• Sustainability: Showcase how sustainability is embedded across mentioned activities.

This award celebrates the standout food or confectionery product in travel retail that has launched in the global market within the last 18 months. Recognising innovation, desirability, and commercial success, the award honours a product that has made a significant impact in the sector. The period under review is January 2024 – May 2025.

Judges will evaluate:

• Hero product qualities: Standout design, packaging, pricing, and versatility, setting it apart from competitors in the category.
• Commercial performance; Demonstrated sales success in global travel retail (please provide performance metrics).
• Brand visibility & activation: Strong GTR activations, marketing campaigns, social media engagement, and consumer interaction that have elevated brand presence.
• Sustainability & innovation: Where possible, highlight sustainable ingredients, eco-conscious packaging, or responsible production methods.
• Digital & omnichannel innovation: Has the product leveraged AI-driven personalisation, gamification, interactive displays, or AR packaging to enhance shopper engagement?

This award celebrates the standout electronics, toys, gifting or travel accessories product in travel retail that has launched in the global market within the last 18 months. Recognising innovation, desirability, and commercial success, the award honours a product that has made a significant impact in the sector. The period under review is January 2024 – May 2025.

Judges will evaluate:

• Hero product qualities: Standout design, packaging, pricing, and versatility, setting it apart from competitors in the category.
• Commercial performance: Demonstrated sales success in global travel retail (please provide performance metrics).
• Brand visibility & activation: Strong GTR activations, marketing campaigns, social media engagement, and consumer interaction that have elevated brand presence.
• Sustainability & innovation: Where possible, highlight sustainable ingredients, eco-conscious packaging, or responsible production methods.
• Digital & omnichannel innovation: Mention use of AI-driven recommendations, virtual try-ons, e-commerce integrations, or phygital experiences that enhance shopper engagement where possible

This award celebrates the standout jewellery, watches, fashion or accessories product in travel retail that has launched in the global market within the last 18 months. Recognising innovation, desirability, and commercial success, the award honours a product that has made a significant impact in the sector. The period under review is January 2024 – May 2025.

Judges will evaluate:

• Hero product qualities: Standout design, packaging, pricing, and versatility, setting it apart from competitors in the category.
• Commercial performance: Demonstrated sales success in global travel retail (please provide performance metrics).
• Brand visibility & activation: Strong GTR activations, marketing campaigns, social media engagement, and consumer interaction that have elevated brand presence.
• Sustainability & innovation: Where possible, highlight sustainable ingredients, eco-conscious packaging, or responsible production methods.
• Digital & omnichannel innovation: Mention use of AI-driven recommendations, virtual try-ons, e-commerce integrations, or phygital experiences that enhance shopper engagement where possible

This award celebrates the standout spirits product in travel retail that has launched in the global market within the last 18 months. Recognising innovation, desirability, and commercial success, the award honours a product that has made a significant impact in the sector. The period under review is January 2024 – May 2025.

Judges will evaluate:

• Hero product qualities: Standout design, packaging, pricing, and versatility, setting it apart from competitors in the category.
• Commercial performance: Demonstrated sales success in global travel retail (please provide performance metrics).
• Brand visibility & activation: Strong GTR activations, marketing campaigns, social media engagement, and consumer interaction that have elevated brand presence.
• Sustainability & innovation: Where possible, highlight sustainable ingredients, eco-conscious packaging, or responsible production methods.
• Digital & omnichannel innovation: Highlight the use of immersive digital experiences (e.g., AR bottle scanning, virtual tastings), AI-driven recommendations, personalised gifting options, NFT collaborations and interactive brand storytelling that engage consumers both online and in-store.

• Portfolio adaptation & market responsiveness: How your brand has evolved its core product portfolio to meet the changing needs of retailers and travellers.
• Collaborative & agile inventory solutions: A proactive, flexible approach to supporting partners in navigating supply chain and inventory challenges.
• Impactful campaigns & promotions: Delivery of high-impact activations, promotions, and omnichannel marketing strategies tailored to today’s travel retail environment.
• Innovation & market leadership: Evidence of product innovation, digital advancements, and responsiveness to emerging consumer trends in travel retail.
• Category growth & industry impact: A commitment to expanding and elevating your category for the benefit of the wider industry.
• Sustainability: How sustainability is embedded across your product development, packaging, supply chain, and activations.

• Hero product qualities: Standout design, packaging, pricing, and versatility, setting it apart from competitors in the category.
• Commercial performance: Demonstrated sales success in global travel retail (please provide performance metrics).
• Brand visibility & activation: Strong GTR activations, responsible marketing campaigns, social media engagement, and consumer interaction that have elevated brand presence.
• Sustainability & innovation: Where possible, highlight sustainable ingredients, eco-conscious packaging, or responsible production methods.
• Digital & omnichannel innovation: Highlight any e-commerce or pre-order initiatives, digital authentication technologies (e.g., QR codes for product verification), or interactive storytelling that enhances product visibility and compliance in travel retail.

• Vision & development – The motivations and drivers behind the concept, detailing the problem it aimed to solve.
• Impact on travel retail – Evidence of how the technology has enhanced the shopping experience, optimised operations, or driven commercial success for travel retail stakeholders.
• Measurable business benefits – Demonstrate tangible outcomes such as adoption by retailers/brands, customer engagement, increased sales, and improved customer satisfaction.
• Innovation & scalability – How the solution stands out in the market and its potential for future expansion or cross-industry application.
• Sustainability leadership – How sustainability is embedded within the technology, whether through energy efficiency, waste reduction, or responsible digital practices.

New for 2025, this prestigious award celebrates the exceptional achievements of women in the travel retail industry. Honouring those who have made a significant impact, the award recognises outstanding contributions to a project, workplace successes, or exemplary leadership within the sector.

The judging period covers accomplishments from 1 June 2023 to 1 June 2025.

Submissions should include examples of:

• Measurable Impact: Demonstrates tangible contributions to the industry and wider community, supported by data, testimonials, or key milestones.
• Initiative: Showcases exceptional initiative, innovative decision-making, and the ability to drive change.
• Proudest achievement: A standout success from the candidate in recent years, detailing its execution, impact, and key takeaways.
• Commitment to DE&I and sustainability: Advocates for DEI, fostering positive workplace culture, and has integrated sustainability into business practices/product innovation, driving positive environmental and social impact.
• Leading by example: Stands out as a strong role model for women in the sector

• Championing D&I: How your company or team has actively advocated for and implemented diversity and inclusion initiatives.
• Goals & execution: Clear D&I intentions, targets, and strategies, and how they have been integrated into workplace culture, recruitment, leadership, partnerships, and consumer-facing campaigns.
• Demonstrable impact: Evidence of measurable progress and positive impact on people, communities, and the wider travel retail industry—both internally and externally.

• Achievements & execution: Describe your sustainability initiatives, how they were implemented, and the key milestones achieved.
• Relevance to travel retail: How the initiative aligns with global travel retail priorities and contributes to industry-wide sustainability goals.
• Demonstrable impact: Evidence of measurable benefits to people, communities, and the environment, supported by data, case studies, or testimonials.

• Implementation & results: How and when the nominated team’s initiative(s) were executed, and the measurable outcomes achieved.
• Above & beyond efforts: How the team and individuals exceeded expectations, demonstrating dedication, creativity, and leadership.
• Positive impact: Evidence of the team’s contributions to people, communities, or the environment, whether through social responsibility programs, diversity & inclusion initiatives, sustainability projects, or workplace wellbeing efforts.