As the Middle East & Africa Duty Free Association (MEADFA) celebrates its 25th Anniversary in 2026, the Association is pleased to announce the opening of entries for the MEADFA Awards 2026, recognizing the companies, initiatives and individuals driving excellence across the Middle East and Africa's duty free and travel retail industry.

The 2025 MEADFA Conference in Dubai, UAE, came to a close today, and MEADFA has confirmed that 736 delegates attended. With the conference room reaching maximum capacity, this year’s edition reflected the strong momentum and confidence driving the duty free and travel retail industry across the Middle East and Africa.

Registration is now open for this year’s MEADFA Conference, which will take place in Dubai. Organised in partnership with TFWA and hosted by Dubai Duty Free, the event will be held from 9th to 11th November at InterContinental Dubai Festival City. Delegates who take advantage of the early bird registration will be able to benefit from a 10% discount rate, available from 13th August to 2nd September, via this link. Pre-registration after this date will be possible at the regular entry rates until 20th October.

This year’s MEADFA Conference will take place in Dubai. Managed by TFWA and hosted by Dubai Duty Free, it will be held from 9th to 11th of November at InterContinental Dubai Festival City. Registration will open on 13th August, and an early bird discount of 10% will be available to those signing up before 2nd September. After this date, it will be possible to pre-register at the regular entry rates until 20th October.

The Middle East & Africa Duty Free Association (MEADFA) convened its 24th Annual General Meeting in Dubai on March 25, 2025, reaffirming its dedication to advancing the duty-free and travel retail industry across the region. With strong participation from MEADFA’s members, the AGM provided a platform to review key achievements, discuss industry challenges, and outline strategic priorities for the future.

With pre-registration numbers topping the total this time last year, the 2024 MEADFA Conference in Abu Dhabi, UAE, further details have been announced on this year’s speakers and the key topics of discussion. The event will take place from the 17th to the 19th of November at Fairmont Bab Al Bahr Hotel.

Celebrating its third consecutive year, the MEADFA Awards continue to recognize and honor innovative, dynamic, and world-class travel retail specialists in the Middle East & Africa Region. The 2024 edition promises to highlight exceptional achievements and transformative efforts within the industry.

The Middle East and Africa Duty-Free Association (MEADFA) held its 23rd Annual General Meeting in Dubai on April 2, 2024, stressing on industry resilience and commitment. Attended by nearly 70% of its members, the meeting served as a platform to present the Association's achievements and future endeavors.

With a strong number of delegates already pre-registered for the 2023 MEADFA Conference in Accra, Ghana, further details have been revealed on this year’s speakers and key topics. Managed by TFWA, the event will take place from the 19th to the 21st of November at the Kempinski Hotel Gold Coast City and will mark the first time this annual event has been hosted in West Africa.

Marking its second year, MEADFA is pleased to announce the launch of the MEADFA Awards for this year, recognizing innovative, dynamic, and world-class travel retail specialists in the Middle East & Africa Region.

The Middle East & Africa Duty Free Association (MEADFA) FZE is pleased to announce the appointment of its new Board and Officers following the Annual General Meeting held in Dubai on April 4, 2023. The new leading group will be responsible for guiding the association's strategic direction and furthering its mission to represent and promote the growth and development of the travel retail industry. The newly elected Board of Directors includes members of the travel retail industry who bring a wealth of experience and expertise to the association.

The Middle East & Africa Duty Free Association has been elected to serve on ACI Africa's board for a three-year term (2023-2025) at today's ACI Africa / World Annual General Assembly, Conference and Exhibition (WAGA), making it the first and only duty free association in the world to serve on an ACI board.

MEADFA is pleased to announce the independent panel of judges that will evaluate and score entries for the MEADFA Awards. Five highly accomplished professionals will serve on the jury, each with a strong background in retail and travel, and all have made significant contributions to the progress of our industry as a whole.

Registration is now open for this year’s MEADFA Conference taking place in the Kingdom of Bahrain. The event will be held from the 27th to the 29th of November at The Art Hotel & Resort.

Middle East & Africa Duty Free Association is pleased to announce that the MEADFA Conference will be held in the kingdom of Bahrain on 27th to 29th November this year. The event, managed by TFWA and hosted by Bahrain Duty Free, will take place at The Art Hotel & Resort located in Amwaj Islands in Bahrain. Further details will follow in due course.

Today, the Middle East and Africa Duty Free Association (MEADFA) hosted its first webinar of 2022, where a discussion on the future of travel retail took place. Speakers from across the travel retail value chain gave their perspectives on the challenges and opportunities facing the industry as it builds back from the Covid-19 crisis that wreaked havoc for the last 2 years.

Delegates attending the MEADFA Conference, taking place in Dubai from 21st to 23rd November 2021, will have the opportunity to meet with some of the leading companies in the Middle East and Africa duty free and travel retail industry. The event marks the return of one of travel retail’s most popular gathering, held in a location that is set to drive the recovery in international travel. Held at the Jumeirah Creekside Hotel near The Irish Village, the MEADFA Conference will be managed by TFWA and hosted by Dubai Duty Free.

The Middle East and Africa Duty Free Association represents and serves the travel retail industry in the MEADFA region through a wide network bringing together the industry stakeholders, defending their interest and keeping them informed of the latest regional and global industry developments.

The MEADFA Q2 recovery monitor highlights three key barriers to purchase affecting the revival of duty free sales. According to the MEADFA Q2 recovery monitor, published for the Middle East and Africa Duty Free Association by Swiss research agency m1nd-set, airlines’ one bag policy is among three barriers to purchase that have significantly increased in importance in 2021 versus previous years.

The Middle East and Africa Duty Free Association held the elections of the board for the new term 2021 - 2023 during the virtual Annual General Meeting held on Tuesday, March 30, 2021.

Today MEADFA held its first regulatory intelligence sharing session dedicated for its members and which will be held monthly. The meeting reflects the organisation’s determination to keep developing its cross-category advocacy capacities and to build relationships with key stakeholders and decision makers in the Middle East and Africa Region. Therefore, Rita Chidiac, the advocacy working group secretary general of MEADFA, recommends intensifying the flow of regulatory intelligence between MEADFA members (Brands, landlords, retailers) to anticipate regulatory threats with a clear teamwork from the Duty free industry.

Today the Middle East & Africa Duty Free Association (MEADFA) held its first virtual event outlining how travel retail in the Middle East and Africa is fighting against the impact of COVID-19. Over 150 participants from across the world joined the event.

At its meeting earlier this month, the Board of the Middle East & Africa Duty Free Association decided to cancel the 2020 MEADFA Conference. The event, set to take place on 23-24 November in Dubai, will not be held this year given the severe economic impact of the covid-19 pandemic on the global travel retail industry, as well as ongoing uncertainty surrounding travel restrictions.

MEADFA - the Middle East and Africa Duty Free Association, has announced it will increase its advocacy and engagement capabilities with the creation of its Advocacy Working Group (AWG). The AWG will be developing a cross category advocacy approach, representing the entire duty free and travel retail industry, delivering a combined voice. The AWG aims to promote awareness of the industry with key regulators and policy makers to ensure the future of this unique industry.

H.E Dr Ahmed Al Futaisi, Minister of Transport and Communications for Oman, will be the guest of honour at the 2019 MEADFA Conference, which will take place at the Kempinski Hotel, Muscat from 24th to 26th November.

The latest business opportunities for the duty free and travel retail industry in the Middle East and Africa will be discussed at this year’s MEADFA Conference, which will take place at the Kempinski Hotel, Muscat and will run from 24th to 26th November.

The Middle East and Africa Duty Free Association held the elections of the board for the new term starting from April 2019 until March 2021 during the Annual General Meeting on Tuesday, April 02, 2019 in Dubai at the JW Marriott Marquis Hotel.

The MEADFA Conference will be held under the patronage of H.E. Mr. Saad Hariri, Lebanese President of the Council of Ministers. The support of H.E Mr Hariri was confirmed at a press conference held in Beirut on 12th September, hosted by MEADFA President Haitham Al Majali and H.E. Mr Avedis Guidanian, the Lebanese Minister of Tourism.

A key event in one of duty free and travel retail’s most dynamic regions, the next MEADFA Conference will take place in Beirut from 19th to 20th November 2018.

Business experts and key industry players from across the Middle East and Africa will head an impressive line-up at the 2018 MEADFA Conference, managed by TFWA.

As a result of the current political uncertainty in the region, the Board of MEADFA has decided that the 2017 MEADFA Conference will not go ahead in Beirut as planned. The event will be rescheduled to take place in the first quarter of 2018, at a date and venue to be confirmed shortly. Delegate fees will be reimbursed in full to all registered delegates, unless they instruct MEADFA to retain their payment against participation at the conference in early 2018.

The Middle East & Africa Duty Free Association (MEADFA) held its Annual General Meeting on Tuesday, March 21, 2017 in Dubai at the Jumeirah Creekside Hotel. The meeting, led by MEADFA President and Vice President Operations at Dubai Duty Free, Mr. Sean Staunton, focused on reviewing the activity of MEADFA over the last year. The MEADFA financials were also reviewed and budget approved for the coming year.

As day one of the MEADFA Conference 2016, managed by TFWA, kicked off, it was clear that there are reasons for confidence in the future of the Middle East and African duty free and travel retail sector. Welcoming delegates to this year’s event, MEADFA president Sean Staunton said that it had been a tough 12 months for the region, with sales in the Middle East falling 2.6%. However, the travel and tourism industry continues to grow, and investment is speeding up across the region.

The leading players in duty free and travel retail from across the Middle East and Africa will once again be heading to Dubai in November for the 2016 MEADFA Conference, managed by TFWA.

The magnificent Dead Sea, Jordan, was the backdrop for this year’s MEADFA Conference, managed by TFWA on behalf of The Middle East & Africa Duty Free Association. Taking place at the King Hussein Bin Talal Convention Centre on 23-24 November, the 342 delegates attending the event enjoyed an action-packed two days with lively presentations, workshops and panel discussions covering all aspects of the region. In a time of particular regional turbulence, instability and uncertainties ranging from terrorism to the weak Russian ruble to falling oil prices, the overall aim of the two days – said MEADFA President Sean Staunton -was “to give delegates a real opportunity to discuss these challenges”.

Delegate registrations are flooding in for the 2015 MEADFA Conference (23-24 November), which is managed by TFWA on behalf of the Middle East & Africa Duty Free Association. Over thirty of the most influential landlords and travel retail operators in the region have already confirmed their attendance, including Aelia, Aer Rianta, DFS, Dubai Duty Free, Dufry, Egyptair, Etihad Airways, Hamila Duty Free, Jordanian Duty Free Shops, Lagardere Travel Retail, Qatar Airways, Tourvest Inflight Retail and World Duty Free Group.

The Middle East & Africa Duty Free Association is pleased to announce that registration for the 2015 MEADFA Conference (23-24 November), managed by TFWA, is now open at www.tfwa.com. The annual conference for the duty free & travel retail industry in the Middle East and Africa is to be staged at the world-class King Hussein Bin Talal Convention Centre beside the Dead Sea in Jordan against the stunning backdrop of the lowest place on Earth. At more than 400 metres below sea level, the location is the lowest land mass in the world making this a unique venue for an unmissable industry conference. Following a welcome by Sean Staunton, President MEADFA, and a keynote address by His Excellency Akel Biltaji, Mayor of Amman, formerly Jordan’s Minister of Tourism & Antiquities with a distinguished career at Royal Jordanian Airlines, there will be a brief video review of the highlights of the duty free & travel retail business over the past year in the Middle East and Africa.

The Middle East & Africa Duty Free Association (MEADFA) held its Annual General Meeting on Monday, March 16, 2015 in Dubai at the Jumeirah Creekside Hotel. The meeting, led by MEADFA President and Vice President Operations at Dubai Duty Free, Mr. Sean Staunton, focused on reviewing the activity of MEADFA over the last year. The MEADFA financials were also reviewed and budget approved for the coming year. The Election for the new term starting from March 2015 to February 2017 was conducted. The members selected the following board whilst the new board selected the committee officers as follows:

The Middle East & Africa Duty Free Association (MEADFA) and TFWA are delighted to reveal details of the programme of this year’s MEADFA Conference, which will be staged at the Jumeirah Creekside Hotel, Dubai on 24th and 25th November. Registration for the event is now open.

The Middle East & Africa Duty Free Association (MEADFA) and TFWA are pleased to announce that the 2014 MEADFA Conference will be staged at the Jumeirah Creekside Hotel, Dubai on 24th and 25th November. Work has already begun on the programme for the annual duty free and travel retail conference, which is managed by TFWA on behalf of MEADFA. Sean Staunton, President MEADFA, said, “It is an exciting time for the Middle East & Africa region with a number of new developments under way. In Dubai, for example, preparations are being made for the hosting of Expo 2020 including the development of Dubai World Central

Over 500 delegates from across the globe attended the 12th Middle East & Africa Duty Free Association Conference held at the Ritz Carlton Hotel, Doha, Qatar on 25th and 26th November. Over two mornings of presentations, panel discussions and workshops, the 510 delegates heard of the relentless growth of the duty free and travel retail business in the region, through ongoing investment in airport infrastructure, impressive retail development and the ambitious plans of airlines such as Qatar Airways, Emirates, FlyDubai and Etihad.

The Middle East & Africa Duty Free Association Conference, managed by TFWA on behalf of MEADFA, promises to be among the strongest editions yet, with a programme that includes many of the most dynamic companies and business leaders in the region. The 2013 MEADFA Conference, which will take place in the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Doha, Qatar on 25th and 26th November, will focus on four key themes: the role and importance of commercial activities in new airport design and infrastructure; geopolitical and economic challenges across the Middle East and North Africa; understanding consumers in the African continent; and defending the duty free and travel retail industry in the region.

Preparations are well under way for the 12th annual conference of the Middle East & Africa Duty Free Association, the first since the Association’s formal embrace of Africa. The Conference, which is managed by TFWA on behalf of MEADFA, will take place at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Doha, Qatar on 25th and 26th November 2013. Keynote speaker at the event will be Akbar Al Baker, CEO of Qatar Airways, one of the Middle East’s most dynamic and fast-growing airlines. Qatar Airways is noted globally for its commitment to excellence and in May this year its cabin crew were voted the best

The Middle East Duty Free Association (MEDFA) held its Annual General Meeting on Wednesday, February 27, 2013 in Dubai at the Meydan Hotel. The meeting, led by MEDFA President and Vice President Retail Services at Emirates Airline, Mr. John Sime, focused on MEDFA financials, and the election of the new MEDFA committee to serve for the new term starting from February 2013 to Feb 2015. The MEDFA members decided to Embrace AFRICA, members from this continent are now welcome to join The Association’s membership.

The Middle East Duty Free Association (MEDFA) is pleased to announce a strategic alliance with Channels Exhibitions to jointly present the Middle East Exclusive 2012 which will be held alongside the MEDFA Conference. This collaboration paves the way to play a leading role in the development of the duty free and travel retail industry in this fast growing region. MEDFA 2012 Conference will take place in Dubai on Nov 26-27 at a new venue, the Jumeirah Creek Hotel. The Middle East Exclusive (MEE) Exhibition held at the Dubai

Recent political and social developments in the Middle East and North Africa will underpin discussions at the two-day Middle East Duty Free Conference which opens in Dubai on Monday 21st November 2011. However the primary theme of the two-day event, which is organised by TFWA, will be the rapid development of the duty free and travel retail industry in the region with new facilities, innovative retailing concepts and a spirit of determination driving impressive

The Middle East Duty Free Association (MEDFA) held its Annual General Meeting on Monday, April 11, 2011 in Dubai at the Ritz Carlton Hotel. The meeting led by MEDFA President and CEO of Chalhoub Group, Mr. Anthony Chalhoub, focused on MEDFA financials, and the election of the new