2026 Annual Lock Manufacturer Meeting

2026 Annual Lock Manufacturer Meeting

The 2026 Lock Manufacturers Meeting took place in Chongqing, bringing together representatives from 13 licensed factories. 

On the morning of April 27, Travel Sentry CEO Maya Hall opened the event at the Sheraton Chongqing. She shared her excitement about exploring the city for the first time, noting that the joy of travel remains irreplaceable despite recent global uncertainties. She emphasized that protecting this travel experience is the core mission of Travel Sentry and its partners. 

COO Tim Meade followed with a keynote focused on "Leveraging Strengths and Avoiding Price Wars." He urged manufacturers to grow the market together through healthy competition rather than internal rivalry. Tim noted that while external factors remain unpredictable, Q1 data shows a very optimistic trend. He highlighted that Travel Sentry remains highly competitive, with many new companies applying for licenses, and pledged to help partners refine their strategies to better fit market demands. 

CFO Yves Perrenoud provided a deep dive into the industry’s health and also shared IATA data to provide a broader outlook. Despite a volatile year, Yves announced that the Travel Sentry network has expanded to over 80 countries and 800 major airports, with significant growth in Maldives, Mongolia and Mexico. 

The afternoon featured several specialized reports: 

• Peiyuan Yan (Marketing) presented a new B2B survey and reviewed successful campaigns, including a six-week takeover at London Gatwick and major e-commerce promotions and pop-up events in China. 
• Xinda Chen (Business Director, China) updated the group on Chinese OEM developments and luggage lock market trends. 
• Snow Yang (Account Manager) discussed brand identity and hangtag standards to help partners better leverage the Travel Sentry brand. 
• Kevin Jinwen (Legal Counsel) shared updates on intellectual property protection. He also delivered excellent news: a new Chinese civil aviation law effective July 1st will allow for seamless baggage inspections, which is expected to significantly boost the adoption of Travel Sentry systems. 

The meeting concluded with a cultural tour of Chongqing. Attendees visited the ancient Dazu Rock Carvings, watched the famous "train through a building" at Liziba Station, enjoyed authentic Sichuan hotpot and took a night cruise along the Yangtze and Jialing Rivers.