AFCOV rebrands to AFTR, expands advocacy agenda

France’s leading travel retail association has unveiled a new name, refreshed identity, and ambitious research agenda as it steps up efforts to strengthen the sector’s visibility among policymakers and to champion the role of travel retail in France’s tourism economy.

Formerly known as AFCOV (Association Française du Commerce du Voyageur), the organization will now operate as the Association Française du Travel Retail (AFTR), a move that President Candice Cadreils, who also heads commercial operations at Aéroports de la Côte d’Azur, described as “a new era” for the association and its members.

“We needed a clear and powerful name,” Cadreils said at a media briefing during the TFWA World Exhibition & Conference in Cannes. “When we meet with the government, we realize that even the term travel retail is not well understood. Changing our name was about clarity, coherence and credibility, both for our members and for our dialogue with the state.”

The rebrand is part of a wider transformation at AFTR, which aims to move beyond traditional lobbying to embrace data-driven research, cross-industry collaboration, and stronger outreach to public institutions. “Step by step, with every new meeting, we are gaining credibility,” Cadreils added. “The name change is part of that process. It brings coherence and shows that we are evolving with a clear sense of purpose.”

Educating policymakers: TR as a pillar of tourism

AFTR’s leadership emphasized that one of its primary missions is to educate French authorities about the importance of travel retail to the national economy, tourism strategy, and France’s international image.

Antoine Clément, advisor to the association, said travel retail remains misunderstood by many in government despite its clear links to tourism, infrastructure and national branding.

“Travel retail is part of the tourism ecosystem,” Clément said. “It shapes the traveler’s experience of France; often the airport is the last image they take home. Duty free and travel retail are integral to the French tourism offer and to France’s image abroad.”

He added that conversations with ministries had become more constructive over the past year. “We are seeing more understanding and support from French officials, especially within the Ministry of Economy and Finance and the customs service. That’s a very positive shift.”

AFTR’s growing credibility was illustrated recently when a French official from the European Commission’s tourism branch accepted an invitation to visit Nice Airport after meeting Cadreils at a European Travel Retail Confederation (ETRC) cocktail event in Brussels.

“This was a big step,” said Cadreils. “Normally such visits never happen, but she called me, came to Nice, and we spent several hours touring the airport. I could show her what travel retail actually means in practice, and how it connects tourism, culture and economic activity. It showed that awareness is growing, little by little, through real dialogue.”

Research and collaboration

To support its advocacy, AFTR is launching a new study on data-sharing and market analysis, designed to quantify the size and value of the French travel retail industry. The study, which is now in the partner selection phase, is expected to deliver initial findings within six months.

Board member Emmanuel Barc, Area Director EMEA for Chanel, explained that robust data is essential to give the association and its members a stronger collective voice.

“When we speak with the government, we need figures to back up our arguments and to show how big this ecosystem really is,” Barc said. “We are working in alignment with the ETRC, but we also want dedicated French research that reflects our own market and its specific contribution to tourism and employment.”

He added that having data available to all members will allow the entire network to communicate consistently about the industry’s scale and potential. “Today, as a board we share information among ourselves, but with real data, every member can become an ambassador for the sector.”

Membership and mission: representing France’s travel retail ecosystem

AFTR currently counts around 30 member companies, representing every major segment of the French travel retail ecosystem — from airports and global brand owners to distributors and concessionaires.

Members include major airports (such as Aéroports de Paris and Aéroports de la Côte d’Azur), travel retailers including Lagardère Travel Retail and Avolta, and brands across perfumes & cosmetics, wines & spirits, confectionery, tobacco, and fashion & accessories categories. The association also collaborates closely with other industry federations, airlines, and cruise lines.

Board member Lylian Vignau, Managing Director France at Lagardère Travel Retail, highlighted the association’s growing role in supporting small and medium-sized French brands seeking to enter the channel.

“We meet many medium-sized French brands that are curious about travel retail but don’t know how to enter the channel,” Vignau said. “Part of our mission is to guide them, to help them understand how to showcase their products in this unique environment.”

He noted that travelers increasingly look for products that reflect France’s regions and craftsmanship: “Passengers don’t want to see the same offer in every airport. They’re looking for exclusivity, storytelling, and authenticity;  brands with roots, families, and history. Supporting French creativity, le savoir-faire, is part of our DNA.”

The association is also preparing a revamped visual identity, set to launch next year, as part of a wider communications overhaul.

For Cadreils and her board, the rebrand and new strategic focus are about ensuring that the voice of France’s travel retail community is clearly heard in both national and European policymaking circles.

“We’re gaining credibility, building understanding, and showing that travel retail is not a niche, it’s a strategic asset for France,” Cadreils concluded. “Our goal is to make sure the government sees it that way too. As a source of pride, jobs, and innovation in the heart of our tourism economy.”