The Asia Pacific Travel Retail Association (APTRA) has confirmed that its North Asia Forum will take place in Hong Kong on 12 November 2026, while also announcing the promotion of Anne Kavanagh to the newly elevated role of Managing Director.
The one-day forum is expected to gather senior stakeholders from across the travel retail and duty free sector, with discussions focusing on key North Asian markets, evolving consumer behaviour, and the outlook for Chinese and Korean outbound travellers. According to APTRA, the programme will also feature broader Asia Pacific market insights alongside networking opportunities for the regional industry.
The event effectively replaces APTRA’s previously planned Northeast Asia Forum, which had originally been scheduled for December 2025 before being postponed due to industry concerns around year-end budget pressures and travel constraints.
Alongside the forum announcement, APTRA confirmed the promotion of Anne Kavanagh from Executive Director to Managing Director. Kavanagh has been leading the association since 2022 and previously headed APTRA’s marketing and communications activities through her consultancy, Kavanagh Communications.
APTRA President Sunil Tuli described the appointment as recognition of Kavanagh’s leadership contribution to the organisation and the wider travel retail sector. He credited her with helping expand APTRA’s advocacy initiatives, networking platforms, and conference portfolio, including the successful APTRA India Conference series launched in 2024.
The association also highlighted strong engagement during the recent TFWA Asia Pacific Exhibition in Singapore, where APTRA hosted networking and member engagement activities.
APTRA has indicated that further details regarding speakers, registration, and agenda sessions for the Hong Kong forum will be announced in the coming weeks.
