• ELECTRA MINING AFRICA
Electra Mining Africa and co-located shows Elenex Africa , Powerex , Transport Expo and Automation Expo will be supported by a programme of content-rich conferences and free-to-attend seminars with industry experts speaking on a range of topical and important issues . The seminars will be live-streamed to enable a wider audience to participate in the learning experience .
The new ‘ Theme Days ’ concept launched at Electra Mining Africa 2018 was enjoyed by both exhibitors and visitors . The ‘ every day a theme day ’ experience will again be part of this year ’ s event with Automation Day , ‘ Local is Lekker ’ South African Day and Safety Day already confirmed . Two new theme days will be announced soon .
Face to Face is key ! Following global trends , exhibitions are adopting more technology and moving to hybrid events . Whereas exhibitions remain a face-to-face , in-person event , technology can make the exhibition experience even more enjoyable , driving many aspects of the exhibition from registration to live streaming of events . What is clear from the February 2022 UFI Global Exhibition Barometer Report is that the majority of respondents agree that virtual events will not be replacing physical events .
The Report also indicates an optimistic outlook for the exhibition industry ; data from the barometer backs this up . Says Monica Lee Muller , President of UFI - The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry , “ The Barometer results highlight the accelerating pace of the industry ’ s recovery in 2022 , following the severe impact of COVID still felt on activities in 2021 . There is strong anticipation that the sector , primarily driven by physical exhibitions and business events , will bounce back quickly .”
UFI CEO Kai Hattendorf added , “ In most parts of the world , this year is seeing the exhibition and business events industry busier than ever . Shows are back and calendars are tight .” He confirms the importance of live events , saying , “ Business events drive the recovery and re-connection of industries , sectors , and economies ”, and their importance cannot be underestimated .
Face-to-face interaction has been greatly missed in the exhibitions and events industry . Although online events and virtual exhibitions filled the void and created an environment where buyers and sellers could engage remotely , these fell short of the in-person , face-toface experience .
“ Exhibitions in the modern world remain incredibly relevant ,” explains Hefer . “ Even with the growth of the digital age , human beings are gregarious and social by nature , they need personal contact . Face-to-face interaction facilitates the building of relationships and trust ; live demonstrations engage the senses ; and networking and collaboration between industry professionals can take place .” •
For further information , visit www . electramining . co . za
16 • African Mining • July 2022 www . africanmining . co . za