Time to shift gear
appy New Year , everyone . With 2020 behind us , it ’ s time to shift gear , to get ready for testing and vaccination schemes to succeed , for markets to reopen – and for us to build and operate the market places and meeting places that every industry , every sector needs for the economic recovery .
I am optimistic about 2021 , even if we all have to make it through this pandemic winter first in the northern hemisphere .
As every year , UFI has released ‘ 5 trends to watch ’ for the new year . You can find them on the UFI Blog ( http :// blog . ufi . org / 2020 / 12 / 02 / 5- trends-to-watch-in-2021 /), and we were discussing them in one of our final UFI Connects session in 2020 as well ( watch it on demand here : www . ufi . org / news-media / uficonnects / 10147 /), focusing on the role of online and people .
We all know it – we are a people industry . We are here to connect people , face to face . And our industry is built on the passion and professionalism of the people who work in it . Right now , we are all suffering , and far too many talented event professionals have found themselves furloughed or out of a job .
This is a big risk for our common future . Event professionals are resilient , agile , and ‘ get things done ’ people . And other sectors take notice . Big corporates are looking at event professionals and will begin to hire them as their own corporate meeting cultures evolve . Keeping
Kai Hattendorf UFI managing director / CEO
“ We all know it – we are a people industry . We are here to connect people , face to face .”
people connected in these changing times is a challenge , but this is also something our industry knows to tackle .
At UFI , we have been looking at ways how we can play our part , and make it easy for colleagues to connect and to collaborate ; to stay
Fellowship
Become a UFI Fellow to develop your professional network and stay up to date with industry trends , news and research up to date while in between jobs right now – and to stay engaged in the industry and even help shaping all our futures .
Let me invite you to look at a specific solution that we have put together to empower colleagues around the world to do that . We call it the UFI Fellowship .
The fellowship bundles UFI services and activities , making them available to every industry professional and at a steep discount , from education on-site ( where possible ) and online events . It includes access to research , and a full membership in the Exhibition Think Tank Club , a global community in our industry that is working through innovative formats on crowdsourcing solutions for our industry going forward ( and yes , it is fun , too ). The fellowship also secures access to our highly rated weekly newsletter . You will find all the details at www . ufi . org / fellowship .
Every fellow can profit from this combination of access , tools , and services – while at the same time helping us at UFI to work for the industry at large . It ’ s a way to work together while we get through the last stretch of this pandemic .
NEW FOR 2021
www . exhibitionworld . co . uk Issue 1 2021 9