Tax Free World Association (TFWA)

The Tax Free World Association is a non-profit trade body of 480 member companies, representing more than 3,000 brands, and it runs the duty free and travel retail industry’s main trade shows from its office at 24 rue Cambacérès in Paris. It was founded in 1984 and held its first exhibition in Nice in 1985.

What it means for you as an exhibitor or buyer

Because the association is owned by its member brands, the shows are run for the trade rather than for profit: its motto is “by the trade, for the trade”, and a Management Committee and Board drawn from member companies set its direction. If you supply perfumes, cosmetics, drinks, fashion, confectionery, jewellery, tobacco or gifts to airport, airline, cruise or border shops, its events are where the buyers from those channels gather. Membership is not needed to exhibit, but members get extras such as brand pages that buyers browse before the shows, research, the TFWA Handbook on the market and a members’ directory with contact details. Membership is open to companies that meet its eligibility criteria.

Shows it runs

• TFWA World Exhibition & Conference, Cannes, 3 to 7 October 2027 at the Palais des Festivals. In 2026 it drew 8,011 visitors from 185 countries and 482 exhibiting companies.
• TFWA Asia Pacific Exhibition & Conference, Singapore, 9 to 13 May 2027.
• The MEADFA Conference for the Middle East and Africa, Rabat, Morocco, 15 to 17 November 2026 (a conference, not an exhibition).

Each exhibition pairs the show floor with a one-morning conference, workshops, a pre-booked ONE2ONE meetings service and an evening networking programme. The Cannes week is the largest: in 2025 the organiser reported 3,032 retailers and landlords among 7,999 visitors.

How to deal with it

• Visitor registration for each show is online and paid, with early bird prices before pre-registration closes.
• Exhibitor applications, sponsorship and press accreditation are handled from Paris through the contact form; the site lists no public phone number.
• Its events page lists only these three events as upcoming, so you can plan the year around them.

How it compares

Most French organisers on this site are commercial companies: RX France runs 32 trade shows from Puteaux, including MIPIM in the same Cannes venue, and Comexposium reports more than 400 events in 25 countries. Vinexposium is the closest for wine and spirits brands, with Wine Paris and Vinexpo Asia. TFWA differs because it is a members’ association focused on a single sales channel. More events are listed under retail and design and in France and Cannes.

Source: tfwa.com