The Many Reasons To Attend ASUTIL 2026
6 minutes read
Introduction by: Peter Marshall
This year celebrates ASUTIL’S 25th anniversary. According to ASUTIL President, Enrique Urioste “the celebrations will honour the people and partnerships that built ASUTIL, but they will also highlight the association’s evolution into a more data-driven, strategically engaged organisation. We want to recognise the legacy while showing that ASUTIL is preparing the industry for the next 25 years – through stronger advocacy, deeper insights and a more modern approach to events and collaboration. The anniversary moments will be warm and celebratory, but also forward-looking, reinforcing that ASUTIL’s relevance comes not from its age, but from its ability to adapt and lead”.
In this first interview with Enrique, ASUTIL Secretary General Carlos Loaiza-Keel and Diego De Freitas, ASUTIL conference & Business Developer, the scene is set for what you can expect from the conference in terms of content and networking and why it should be in your business calendar to attend.
Peter Marshall (PM): Enrique, the 2026 conference marks ASUTIL’s 25th anniversary. What makes this year’s gathering more than a milestone celebration – and why is it a strategically important moment for the region’s travel retail community?
Enrique Urioste (EU): The 25th anniversary is certainly a milestone, but what makes this edition truly significant is the moment the industry is living. Latin American travel retail is navigating uneven macroeconomic conditions, shifting consumer expectations, and a wave of regulatory and technological change that will shape the next decade. In that context, Punta Cana becomes more than a celebration: it is a strategic checkpoint. The region needs spaces where operators, airports, cruise lines, brands and border players can align on data, trends and priorities. This year’s conference is designed to do exactly that – offering not only a look back at what ASUTIL has built, but a clear, forward-looking platform to help the industry adapt, innovate and compete in a more complex environment.
PM: Carlos, last year’s Lima event achieved strong delegate satisfaction and a sell-out audience. How are you building on that success to ensure Punta Cana delivers an even more meaningful commercial and networking experience?
Carlos Loaiza-Keel (CLK): Lima set a high bar by combining strong technical content with a format that encouraged real dialogue, and we are building on that foundation with even more intentionality. Punta Cana offers an environment where logistics disappear into the background, allowing delegates to focus entirely on business. We have refined the programme to create more structured networking moments, clearer matchmaking opportunities and a flow that maximises time with decision-makers. The all-inclusive setting also helps remove friction and keeps the community together, which was one of the most appreciated aspects of Lima. The goal is simple: every delegate should leave feeling that the conversations they had in Punta Cana directly advanced their commercial agenda.
PM: So, Diego, under the banner “Our legacy. Our future”, how has the programme been shaped to balance reflection on 25 years of progress with clear direction for the next phase of Latin American travel retail?
Diego De Freitas (DDF): The programme acknowledges the legacy of ASUTIL, but it is not nostalgic. The focus is on understanding how the foundations built over 25 years – collaboration, technical dialogue, and regional identity – equip us to face what comes next. Sessions will look at the evolution of the consumer, the regulatory landscape, and the business model itself, drawing on data and insights that help the industry anticipate rather than react. The balance lies in recognising how far the region has come while being honest about the challenges ahead: digitalisation, regulatory scrutiny, new traveller profiles and the need for sharper value propositions. The anniversary theme is therefore a bridge, not a retrospective.
PM: Enrique, speaker line-ups increasingly define the influence of industry conferences. What qualities or perspectives were you determined to secure in this year’s keynote and panel participants
We wanted voices that combine strategic vision with practical relevance – leaders who understand the global context but can speak directly to the realities of the Americas. That means CEOs who are reshaping the travel retail model, airport executives who are redefining commercial strategy, and analysts who can translate data into actionable insight. We also prioritised diversity of channels and perspectives: airports, border shops, brands, regulators and consumer experts. The goal was to curate a line-up capable of challenging assumptions, offering clarity in a volatile environment, and inspiring the industry to think more boldly about the future.
PM: The Caribbean setting brings a distinct tourism and retail dynamic. How will the location shape the themes, conversations and opportunities that emerge during the week?
The Paradisus Palma Real Hotel, Punta Cana – a place for Asutil delegates to progress business in a wonderful location
EU: The Caribbean is a living laboratory for many of the trends highlighted in the Kearney report, presented in TFWA last conference in Cannes: high-volume tourism, strong duty free penetration, and a consumer base that is increasingly value-driven yet willing to trade up for exclusivity. Punta Cana allows us to explore these dynamics in context, not theory. It also brings into focus the importance of operational efficiency, omnichannel convenience and clear value communication – topics frequently emphasised by Industry leaders and CEO. The setting naturally pushes the conversation toward how to capture spend in leisure-heavy markets, how to differentiate in highly competitive environments, and how to build experiences that are simple, seamless and compelling for travellers who are in “holiday mode.”
PM: ASUTIL conferences are often praised for their sense of community and connectivity. Carlos, in practical terms, how are you evolving networking formats to ensure delegates leave with tangible commercial value and not just contacts?
CLK: We are moving from informal networking to intentional connectivity. That means curated introductions, thematic roundtables, and formats that bring together the right stakeholders around specific opportunities or challenges. The all-inclusive environment helps keep the community together, but the real value comes from designing moments where conversations naturally progress toward business. Delegates will find more structured matchmaking, clearer pathways to meet key partners, and spaces that encourage deeper, more strategic dialogue. The objective is that every participant leaves not only with new contacts, but with concrete next steps.
PM: Latin America is diverse in culture, regulation and consumer behaviour. Diego, how does this year’s event ensure the programme reflects that regional richness rather than presenting a single, simplified narrative
DDF: The programme is built around the idea that Latin America is not one market but many, each with its own dynamics. We have incorporated perspectives from the Caribbean, the Southern Cone, the Andean region and Brazil, ensuring that discussions reflect the asymmetries highlighted in recent consumer and economic reports. Panels will explore how different regulatory environments shape the business, how consumer behaviour varies across markets, and how operators can adapt strategies accordingly. Rather than forcing a single storyline, the conference embraces the region’s complexity and uses it as a source of insight and opportunity.
PM: So, beyond the formal sessions, milestone anniversaries can define an association’s identity. Enrique, how will the 25th-anniversary celebrations honour ASUTIL’s history while reinforcing its relevance for a new generation of industry leaders?
EU: The celebrations will honour the people and partnerships that built ASUTIL, but they will also highlight the association’s evolution into a more data-driven, strategically engaged organisation. We want to recognise the legacy while showing that ASUTIL is preparing the industry for the next 25 years – through stronger advocacy, deeper insights and a more modern approach to events and collaboration. The anniversary moments will be warm and celebratory, but also forward-looking, reinforcing that ASUTIL’s relevance comes not from its age, but from its ability to adapt and lead.
PM: And finally, when delegates leave Punta Cana in June, what is the one outcome or shift in momentum you most hope they will feel, and what would make the 25th edition truly unforgettable?
EU: If delegates leave Punta Cana feeling more aligned, more informed and more optimistic about the region’s potential, then the conference will have succeeded. The ideal outcome is a sense of collective momentum: that despite volatility and regulatory pressure, Latin America has the creativity, the data and the collaborative spirit to shape its own future. What would make this edition unforgettable is the feeling that the 25th anniversary was not a closing chapter, but the beginning of a new, more ambitious phase for the region’s travel retail community.
