Each year, we prepare for the most powerful event for every business connected to duty free and travel retail — TFWA Cannes.
For some of our team members, it was their 30th Cannes; for others — the first. But for all of us, this year felt different. Why?
As TFWA is a place of attraction for our long-standing partners and industry friends — where the entire global travel retail community gathers — we chose to mark our 160th anniversary milestone right here in Cannes, surrounded by the people who have been part of our journey for decades.
Let’s recap how it was.
Our Global Team is on the Way
This year, 25 colleagues from four continents — representing Europe, the Americas, CIS & MEA — joined forces in Cannes.
Every one of them made the journey for the same purpose: to meet partners, exchange ideas, and strengthen connections.
Setting the Stage
Our preparation for Cannes started months before the event. We wanted to create something truly special — it was the first celebration of this scale in 35 years.
It was decided to arrange a museum and a cinema room right in the place of celebration — to bring our legacy to life and let guests, colleagues, and long-standing partners literally find themselves in the documents, photographs, and artefacts from another century.
Teams from Basel and across our regional offices arrived in Cannes to set up a space that would tell the story of 160 years of entrepreneurship.
We established the museum to showcase original pieces brought from our Basel headquarters, including an inventory item dating back to 1883 — the oldest in our collection — alongside a timeline of milestones tracing Weitnauer’s journey from a tobacco business to a global distribution network.
The cinema room highlighted where we stand today — with a truly special piece at its heart: the W-Video, featuring 46 colleagues from our local offices who have been part of Weitnauer for more than a decade. In their own words, they shared memories, milestones, and reflections on what it means to grow with the company.
Our goal was simple but meaningful: to show that Weitnauer has changed with the world — from its tobacco origins to a travel retail pioneer and now to a trusted partner for premium brands globally.
28 September — The Opening Cocktail
Despite the busy preparation for our own celebration, we couldn’t skip the official networking programme — TFWA Opening Cocktail on Sunday, 28 September. According to The Moodie Davitt Report, there were a record 2,833 guests at the Carlton Beach.
A Celebration to Remember
The following evening, 29 September, marked the highlight of the week for us — the Weitnauer 160-year celebration.
More than 250 guests — colleagues, partners, and friends — joined us to commemorate this milestone, representing 110 brands and clients across four regions.
It was corporate in structure, but human in spirit: a warm, elegant evening that felt more like a reunion than a ceremony.
The headline moment came with a speech from the President of Weitnauer Group.
His words captured the essence of who we are:
“Respect for relationships that outlast market cycles and the ability to be global without losing the human touch is our DNA.”
Sincere, confident, and delivered with a touch of humour, his address set the tone for the night — and perfectly reflected Weitnauer’s way of doing business.
TFWA – busy and thrilling as always
Over five dynamic days, our team held 422+ meetings with 142 clients, representing six major product categories: Perfumes & Cosmetics, Beverages & Spirits, Tobacco & RRPs, Food & Confectionery, Luxury Accessories, and Others.
Beyond the business cards and schedules, it was a week of shared insights, renewed trust, and collaboration across categories. We discussed new brand launches, sustainability initiatives, and evolving traveller expectations — themes that continue to shape our industry.
From Cannes to Dubai: MEADFA 2025
As TFWA Cannes came to a close, our journey continued. The next destination: MEADFA (Middle East & Africa Duty Free Association Conference — the region’s leading platform for travel retail dialogue.
Stay tuned!
