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Below is a list of the last five Press Releases to be consulted:
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UFI Open Seminar in Taipei – record audience discusses innovation
Taipei/Paris, March 4, 2010: A record 220 delegates from 24 countries and regions have gathered in Taipei this week for the fifth edition of UFI’s annual Open Seminar in Asia. In light of strong economic recovery around most of Asia, delegates at the event, hosted by TAITRA at the Taipei International Convention Center, are focusing on “Innovation for Business Growth”.
UFI Managing Director, Vincent Gérard, speaking in Taipei, said “this great turn-out from all over the world underlines just how interested people are in doing business in Asia. Our Open Seminars give UFI members and those who have not yet joined an exciting opportunity to network and learn more from their peers. We try to make these seminars really practical in their focus so that delegates can take back ideas they can implement in their businesses as soon as they’re back at the office”.
Gérard added, “We have been very strongly supported by our hosts, TAITRA, here in Taiwan. They have shown a really high level of commitment to making this the most successful event our Asia/Pacific office has ever organised”.
Walter Yeh, Executive Vice President of TAITRA commented, “we are very delighted to have been able to work with UFI to welcome so many exhibition industry professionals from all over the world to Taiwan. These are exciting times for the industry in Asia and we are happy to have been able to show them the special role that we here in Taiwan can play in developing their business. During this event Taiwan is at the hub of the MICE industry in Asia as the UFI Open Seminar builds bridges and explores business opportunities."
As well as the business of the seminar, delegates to the UFI Open Seminar are being treated to a memorable reception evening on the 85th floor of the Taipei 101 Tower. After the seminar, they will be offered tours of Taipei and of TAITRA’s new Nangang exhibition halls.
For the first time in Asia, the Open Seminar was organised in conjunction with a Focus Meeting of UFI’s Education Committee on 3rd March. The Focus Meetings are specialised, interactive, one-day events giving UFI members an opportunity to dig deeper into important issues affecting the industry and their businesses. Delegates from 12 countries and regions gathered in Taipei to discuss best practises and new ideas.
The Chairman of UFI’s Education Committee Janos Barabas commented “there is a very strong focus on education in Asia and our Committee recognises the needs of the industry in this part of the world. That is why we were very pleased to organise our first Focus Meeting in the region alongside the UFI Open Seminar in Asia. Thanks go to TAITRA as well for making us so welcome”.
The 2011 UFI Open Seminar in Asia, to be hosted by the Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau, will take place at the Bangkok Convention Centre at CentralWorld on February 24 – 25, 2011.
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For additional information please contact:
UFI
Ms Lili Eigl, Manager Communications
35bis, rue Jouffroy-d'Abbans
75017 Paris, France
Phone: (33) 1 4267 9912
Email: lili@ufi.org
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Download this Press Release
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UFI Provides “Toolbox for Future Exhibition Management” at Bahrain Seminar: March 29 - 31
Paris/Manama, February 22, 2010: The UFI Open Seminar in the Middle East will be held in Manama, Bahrain from 29-31 March 2010, at the Bahrain International Exhibition & Convention Centre (BIECC).
Hosted by the UFI member Bahrain Exhibition and Convention Authority (BECA), the UFI-organized regional seminar will celebrate its fourth anniversary as the premier exhibition industry meeting in the region.
Themed “Toolbox for Future Exhibition Management”, the seminar’s programme will offer industry professionals updated concepts and effective tools and tips covering a wide range of professional issues. Featuring world-class speakers, the topic spectrum will cover:
- Greening the expo: ethical responsibilities and business needs,
- Perspectives: The power of demand;
- Pricing strategies in the trade fair industry;
- Industry sponsorships: maximizing benefits for both parties; and
- Virtual trade shows: complementary component or competitor?
In addition a panel discussion will address the delicate relationship between exhibitions and hotels during a session entitled: “Late check out! Event attendees and organizers face tougher hotel policies”.
The unique environment of the Gulf archipelago will enhance the Seminar’s social activities, providing ideal networking opportunities for participants..As well as the Seminar programme, a very special dinner will be organized at the La Fontaine Contemporary Arts Centre and Restaurant. An exceptional tour of Bahrain will allow participants to enjoy the unique flavour of Bahraini culture through visits of the National Museum, Beit Al Quran,Bahrain Fort and the Tree of Life!
“We are encouraging companies and organizations from the business and leisure tourism and hospitality sectors to profit from this one-of-a-kind marketing and hospitality opportunity that showcases the Kingdom’s facilities. BECA is honoured to host this important industry event which will have the unique power to inspire and stimulate dialogue among the MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions) industry stakeholders in the region,” said Hassan Jaffer Mohamed, Chief Executive Officer of BECA.
According to Ibrahim Al Khaldi, Regional Manager of UFI’s Middle East and Africa (MEA) Office, UFI, the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, continues to enhance awareness, throughout the region, of the unique value of the exhibition industry. UFI also provides quality knowledge on the industry’s hot issues. “I am sure Seminar participants will have an exceptional experience in this wonderful country as we enjoy the warm hospitality of our host BECA,” he said.
For the full Open Seminar Programme and online registration, please go to: www.ufi.org/manama2010
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For additional information please contact:
UFI
Ms Lili Eigl, Manager Communications
35bis, rue Jouffroy-d'Abbans
75017 Paris, France
Phone: (33) 1 4267 9912
Email: lili@ufi.org
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Download this Press Release
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UFI Releases Euro Fair Statistics
2008 audited figures represent almost half of the European trade fair market
Paris, February 19, 2010: UFI, the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, has just released the 2008 Euro Fairs Statistics Report. UFI is now responsible for assembling this annual report on Euro Fair Statistics which was originally initiated by FKM (Germany).
Manfred Wutzlhofer, UFI President, emphasized the importance of these figures stating, “trade fairs and exhibitions play a vital role in today’s business world. It is therefore essential that customers have access to reliable exhibition data”. The continuing goal of this project is to provide all interested parties (public authorities, exhibition organizers, exhibitors and visitors) with audited European exhibition statistics. For exhibition organizers and exhibitors, audited exhibition statistics provide the most consistent means of measuring return on investment.
The current 2008 data collection exercise gathers information provided by eleven national and regional bodies covering 20 countries. The participating organisations are: AEFI – Associazione Esposizioni e Fiere Italiane, Italy ; AFE - Spanish Trade Fair Association, Spain; Association for Voluntary Control of Fair Statistics (FKM-Austria), Austria; BDO bdc & Associates, Portugal; CENTREX - International Exhibition Statistics Union, Hungary; Danish Audit Bureau of Exhibitions and Fairs, Denmark; FUTFO – Finnish Union of Trade Fair Organizers, Finland; OJS – Fairs & Exhibitions Statistics Association, France; Russian Union of Exhibitions and Fairs (RUEF), Russia; Scandinavian Fair Control (SFC), Sweden; and the Society for Voluntary Control of Fair and Exhibition Statistics (FKM), Germany.
Each of these organisations ensures that the data contained for events included in this report have been audited. This 2008 Euro Fair Statistics edition contains the statistics of 2,195 trade fairs and exhibitions. At these events over 655,000 exhibitors, 53 million visitors and 25 million square meters of rented space were registered. In the current study, 42% of the fairs and exhibitions were addressed to trade visitors, 38% to private visitors and 20% to both target groups.
From 2007 to 2008 a progression of +16% in the total number of audited fairs and exhibitions is to be noted. It is UFI’s goal to develop this report in the future in terms of geographical scope and content. Vincent Gérard, UFI Managing Director, noted that, “UFI estimates that the total net space rented annually in Europe is approximately 53 million square meters. Thus the audited trade fairs present in this report represent almost half of the European trade fair market. It is UFI’s intention to develop the qualitative and quantitative coverage of European trade fair statistics in future Euro Fair Statistics reports”.
The complete 2008 study may be downloaded at no cost on the UFI website at www.ufi.org/pages/publicationspress/surveys.aspx under the trade fair sector/surveys menu.
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For additional information please contact:
UFI
Ms Lili Eigl, Manager Communications
35bis, rue Jouffroy-d'Abbans
75017 Paris, France
Phone: (33) 1 4267 9912
Email: lili@ufi.org
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Download this Press Release
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CEO exhibition organizers brainstorm in Geneva
Paris/Geneva – 4 February 2010: The second UFI Global CEO Forum (UCF) is hosted by Palexpo in Geneva from February 3-5, 2010. Organised by UFI, the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, participation in this annual CEO-level event is by-invitation-only. Leading CEO exhibition organisers from 27 nations will be exchanging ideas and information at this senior level brainstorming session.
During these difficult times it’s more important than ever to network and learn from each other. Targeted to challenge the CEO’s of the world’s leading exhibition organizers, the UCF programme includes strategic topics ranging widely and including organizational culture, leadership performance, and a close look at the current state of the global exhibition industry.
An update on the global economy from the perspectives of the always entertaining economist, Roger Martin-Fagg is also certain to encourage lively debate. The meeting will also be looking at the current “hot” topic for all industries, social media, and how its power can be harnessed by the exhibition industry.
The quality and experience of the UCF speakers and participants guarantees that the information exchanged will be of the highest level. UCF speakers will spark dynamic exchanges which will drive participating CEOs to adapt and develop new strategic concepts suited to the current exhibition industry environment.
UFI’s President, Manfred Wutzlhofer, stated, “the exhibition industry is a close-knit global family. The UCF is an important opportunity for us to freely exchange ideas on the industry and develop new and exciting perspectives for the future.”
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For additional information please contact:
UFI
Ms Lili Eigl, Manager Communications
35bis, rue Jouffroy-d'Abbans
75017 Paris, France
Phone: (33) 1 4267 9912
Email: lili@ufi.org
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Download this Press Release
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Global Exhibition Barometer Identifies Regional Differences
Paris, January 14, 2010: At the beginning of 2009, UFI, the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, decided to assess the impact of the economic downturn by developing a “Crisis Barometer” based on the perceptions of UFI members in 82 countries. For the USA, an identical survey was conducted by SISO (Society of Independent Show Organizers) and for Central & South America by AFIDA (Asociacion International de Ferias de America) of their respective members. Results of these surveys were published in February, May and August 2009. This tool now goes forward as the “Global Exhibition Barometer”, with 2 surveys planned per year.
The current Global Barometer survey, conducted in December 2009, provides new insights into the impact of the economic crisis on the exhibition industry and, for the first time since this survey was launched, identifies significant differences across the various regions of the world.
A “bottom-out” of the turnover decrease is anticipated in 2010, by a majority of respondents from all regions, except Europe. When looking more specifically at the combined results for the second half of 2009 and forecasts for 2010, 60% of European respondents declared decreases for all periods as compared to 32% in Asia/Pacific; 25% in the Middle East/Africa and only 8% in the Americas.
In 2009, in terms of operating profit, the Americas and Europe were more affected than the other regions, with 54% and 51% respectively of respondents experiencing a decrease of more than 10% of their 2008 operating profit, or even a loss. The same was felt by only 29% of respondents in Asia/Pacific and 11% in Middle East/Africa. For 2010, however, 41% of respondents in the Americas expect an increase of 10% or more, and the remainder anticipate a stable situation. Respondents from other regions have comparable expectations, except in Europe where only 19% of respondents expect an increase of 10% or more in 2010.
Finally, a majority of respondents from the Americas and from Asia/Pacific believe that the global exhibition industry’s economic recovery will occur in the second half of 2010. However, once again differences can be noted across the regions. A majority of respondents from Europe and Middle East/Africa believe this will not take place before 2011.
UFI’s Managing Director, Vincent Gérard observed that, “It now appears that although all regions have been affected by the crisis, the impact is being felt with significant difference between regions, and sometimes also within regions. It’s interesting to see that while the Americas and Europe appeared to be hardest hit by this economic crisis, the Americas seem first to recover.”
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For additional information please contact:
UFI
Ms Lili Eigl, Manager Communications
35bis, rue Jouffroy-d'Abbans
75017 Paris, France
Phone: (33) 1 4267 9912
Email: lili@ufi.org
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Download this Press Release
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