全球旅行零售中加密貨幣的潛力越來越大

在這篇客人的文章中，綜合設計和營銷機構Wepurple的詹姆斯·布朗（James Brown）探討了全球旅行零售中加密貨幣的日益增長的潛力

After a few years waiting in the wings, cryptocurrencies are firmly back in the spotlight. The new administration in the USA includes Washington’s most pro-crypto Congress and regulatory bodies ever – and digital assets are making their way back into mainstream financial conversations. Even US President Donald Trump himself has been in on the action – becoming the first US President to launch his own coin.

在翅膀上等待了幾年後，加密貨幣牢固地重新成為焦點。美國的新政府包括華盛頓最親密的國會和有史以來監管機構 - 數字資產正在重返主流財務對話。甚至美國總統唐納德·特朗普（Donald Trump）本人也一直在採取行動 - 成為第一位發起自己的硬幣的美國總統。

How is the world of travel retail reacting? Last November, Afrique Duty-Free (part of the DFP World Group) announced that it would be accepting cryptocurrency for customer payments in what the company called a “global industry first”. The move comes as Afrique Duty-Free prepares an ambitious expansion plan across Western and Southern Africa.

旅遊零售世界的反應如何？去年11月，Afrique免稅（DFP World Group的一部分）宣布，將接受該公司所謂的“全球行業”的客戶付款的加密貨幣。此舉是隨著非洲稅務義務在西部和南部非洲制定雄心勃勃的擴張計劃而進行的。

So, is the GTR stage set for a crypto renaissance as the industry tries to appeal to a new generation of digital-native travellers? Or, will the hype fade away – a boom and bust not dissimilar to the aforementioned Trump coin?

因此，隨著行業試圖吸引新一代數字新興旅行者，GTR舞台是否為加密文藝復興時期設定了。或者，炒作會消失 - 繁榮和胸圍與前面提到的特朗普硬幣沒有不同的繁榮和胸圍嗎？

We may see a trickle of other travel retailers experimenting with crypto, but it will take compelling results to open the floodgates to mass adoption. There is certainly potential – for instance, imagine a big player accepting cryptocurrency and linking it with their existing CRM programme. This could speed up broader implementation across the various silos of GTR.

我們可能會看到其他旅行零售商正在嘗試使用加密貨幣的trick流，但是要開放閘門以進行大規模收養將需要令人信服的結果。當然有潛力 - 例如，想像一個大玩家接受加密貨幣並將其與現有的CRM程序聯繫起來。這可以加快在GTR的各種孤島中更廣泛的實施。

While the hype swirls around Bitcoin and meme coins, a greater shift is happening beneath the surface. Blockchain – the technology that powers crypto – is quietly transforming industries, offering security, transparency, and efficiency.

當炒作圍繞比特幣和模因硬幣旋轉時，表面下方正在發生更大的變化。區塊鍊是為加密提供動力的技術 - 正在悄悄地改變行業，提供安全性，透明度和效率。

This isn’t about Bitcoin or volatile coins; it’s about the broader implications for brands, loyalty programmes, and airport operations. Travel retail has yet to harness the full potential of blockchain, but it holds promise in several domains.

這與比特幣或揮發性硬幣有關；這是對品牌，忠誠度計劃和機場運營的更廣泛影響。 Travel Retail尚未利用區塊鏈的全部潛力，但它在幾個領域都有希望。

Trust is the currency of travel retail. Luxury brands, spirits and high-end cosmetics rely on credibility, but today’s consumer wants more than marketing – they want proof. Blockchain offers an immutable record that can be used to trace the journey of products and ingredients, verifying origin, quality and supply chain integrity in real time.

信任是旅行零售的貨幣。奢侈品牌，烈酒和高端化妝品依賴於信譽，但是今天的消費者想要的不僅僅是營銷 - 他們想要證明。區塊鏈提供了不變的記錄，可用於追踪產品和成分的旅程，實時驗證來源，質量和供應鏈完整性。

This capability is already being realised. Beauty brand Clarins has implemented blockchain to create a traceability system where consumers can scan a product’s QR code and instantly view information about the product’s journey. They can see where the ingredients were sourced, the sustainability practices employed and the production history of the product.

此功能已經實現。 Beauty Brand Clarins已經實施了區塊鏈，以創建一個可追溯性系統，消費者可以在該系統中掃描產品的QR碼，並立即查看有關產品旅程的信息。他們可以看到成分的來源，採用的可持續性實踐以及產品的生產歷史。

A similar approach could be used to redefine trust in travel retail. High-value purchases – such as premium wines, limited-edition watches and fine fragrances – could come with blockchain-verified proof of authenticity, eliminating counterfeits from circulation. This could be particularly important if the pre-owned craze is to catch on in travel retail.

可以使用類似的方法來重新定義旅遊零售的信任。高價值購買（例如高級葡萄酒，限量版手錶和精美的香水）可能會帶有區塊鏈驗證的真實性證明，從而消除了偽造的循環。如果預先二手的熱潮是在旅遊零售中抓住，這可能特別重要。

Airports and retailers would also benefit. Counterfeit prevention is not just a brand issue; it protects the credibility of the entire travel retail ecosystem. If blockchain-backed authentication becomes standard, consumers will have zero doubts about their purchases, making duty-free the definitive destination for guaranteed authenticity.

機場和零售商也將受益。偽造預防不僅是品牌問題；它保護了整個旅行零售生態系統的信譽。如果由區塊鏈支持的身份驗證成為標準驗證，則消費者對購買的疑問將零懷疑，這使得無義務成為保證真實性的確定目的地。

The speculative frenzy surrounding NFTs may have faded, but the underpinning technology is interesting. As collectibles, NFTs are struggling to find a place in today’s crowded market. However, NFTs are shifting from collectibles to services and experiences, adding tangible value and engaging customers in new ways.

NFT周圍的投機性瘋狂可能已經消失，但基礎技術很有趣。作為收藏品，NFT正在努力在當今擁擠的市場中找到席位。但是，NFT正在從收藏品轉移到服務和體驗，以新的方式增加了有形的價值和吸引客戶。

Consider a limited-edition whisky at London Heathrow Airport, accompanied by an NFT granting the buyer access to an exclusive Speyside distillery tour or private tasting event. In the beauty sector, an NFT tied to a skincare product could offer personalised consultations with brand ambassadors. These applications turn NFTs from digital novelties into experiential assets, reinforcing exclusivity and brand loyalty in a way that traditional marketing cannot.

考慮在倫敦希思羅機場的限量版威士忌，並伴隨著NFT，允許買家獲得Speyside Distillery Tour或私人品嚐活動。在美容領域，與護膚產品相關的NFT可以與品牌大使進行個性化諮詢。這些應用程序將NFT從數字新穎性轉變為體驗式資產，以傳統營銷無法做到的方式增強了排他性和品牌忠誠度。

Of course, the question remains – why use NFT technology to facilitate these experiences over existing tools, such as CRM or loyalty programmes?

當然，問題仍然存在 - 為什麼要使用NFT技術來促進這些經驗，例如CRM或忠誠度計劃？

As global travellers ourselves, we see a barrier in the brand experience when having to set up independent client profiles in each country. Could NFTs be the key for unlocking brand experiences globally without having to be a CRM member in every country? This could be a strong point of differentiation for use in travel retail, which is inherently global in nature.

作為全球旅行者，我們必須在每個國家建立獨立的客戶概況時看到品牌體驗的障礙。 NFT可以成為全球釋放品牌體驗的關鍵，而不必成為每個國家的CRM成員？這可能是在旅行零售中使用的差異化點，旅行零售本質上本質上是全球性的。

This brings us to the broader implications of blockchain for airport operations. With millions of passengers moving through global hubs every day, even minor inefficiencies in security, baggage handling or ticketing can have a significant impact on time and revenue.

這使我們了解了區塊鏈對機場運營的更廣泛含義。每天數以百萬計的乘客在全球樞紐中移動，即使是安全性，行李處理或票務的輕微效率也可能對時間和收入產生重大影響。

Finally, in an industry that is quickly adopting emerging technologies, it will be interesting to see how this plays out in the long term. We are at the very early stages of seeing how practical cryptocurrency is likely to become in a retail setting and will be keeping an eye on Afrique Duty-Free’s progress.

最後，在一個迅速採用新興技術的行業中，長期看到這是如何發揮作用將是很有趣的。我們正處於早期階段，即了解實用的加密貨幣可能會在零售環境中變成多大程度上，並且會密切關注Afrique免稅的進步。

But blockchain technology is not a distant future concept – it is already being used today to reshape industries. The brands, retailers and airports that integrate this technology early will set new standards for security, efficiency and consumer trust.

但是區塊鏈技術並不是一個遙遠的未來概念 - 今天它已經用於重塑行業。儘早整合這項技術的品牌，零售商和機場將為安全，效率和消費者信任設定新的標準。

Travel retail has an opportunity to lead, rather than follow. Those who embrace blockchain will not only create a more seamless experience for travellers but also future-proof their business in a rapidly evolving digital economy.

旅行零售有機會領導而不是跟隨。那些擁護區塊鏈的人不僅會為旅行者創造更加無縫的體驗，而且還會在迅速發展的數字經濟中提供未來的業務。

The shift is

轉變是