Asia
‘
UFI Conference gets inside line on
world’s largest expo centre build
Inside the host venue
of Expo 2020
the Dubai Exhibition Centre will be a
cutting-edge venue that will play a pivotal
role during Expo 2020.
“But the impact of such a unique space
he team behind the will stretch well beyond the six months of
in-construction Dubai the Expo, boosting the region’s meetings
Exhibition Centre has and events industry, furthering the UAE’s
released a ‘fly-through’ video reputation as a destination for major
of the venue, ahead of its opening on 20 conferences, and fuelling growth in Dubai’s
October 2020. knowledge-based economy for many years
The venue will be home to Expo 2020,
the six-month world expo taking place in
Dubai next year.
Shaun Vorster, Vice President,
Strategy and Business Integration -
DEC will comprise 45,000sqm of space
he construction of Shenzhen World Phase I
to come.”
Programming at Expo 2020 Dubai, said:
spread across two campuses, a theatre, “There will be no place on the planet
auditorium, several multi-purpose halls, offering more exceptional business
four suites and 24 meeting rooms. networking opportunities than Expo
The DEC aims to create a legacy of
2020 Dubai, and the DEC will be right
in China is on course and the new exhibition business and tourism in the region, centre will go into operation as scheduled encouraging a sustainable and diversified in July this year. This was the message from economy in line with UAE Vision 2021 this latest 3D animated fly-through, which
the project management team brought to global exhibition – a set of national priorities to mark the gives a taster of the high-tech facilities on
industry association UFI’s European Conference 2019 in country’s Golden Jubilee. offer, has already sparked keen interest
Birmingham in May.
Mr Wu Xiaoping, Deputy General Director of Shenzhen
Ahmed Al Khatib, Chief Delivery Officer,
at its heart.
“Bookings are already going well and
among the 190 countries participating in
Expo 2020 Dubai, said: “By any standard, Expo 2020.”
ITB China 2019 attracts
17,000 attendees the customised travel area, new conference
World Exhibition & Convention Center Construction
Headquarter Office, presented a comprehensive overview
and explained how the new giant facility would positively
impact the global exhibition industry.
Mr Mao Daben, Executive Deputy General Manager of
Shenzhen Zhaohua International Exhibition Operation Co.,
“Overall, this year’s premieres, such as
topics or the ITB China Travel Trends
Report showed that ITB China has created
Ltd., elaborated on the project with fresh video that showed he third ITB China three-day unstoppable momentum and as such,
up-to-the-minute developments on the construction site. tradefair attracted 17,000 is clearly bringing back optimism to the
attendees in Shanghai industry,” said Dr Martin Buck, Senior Vice-
recently, up 2,000 compared President, Travel & Logistics, Messe Berlin.
Kai Hattendorf, CEO and Managing Director of UFI, also
speaking at the presentation at Birmingham’s NEC, said that
Shenzhen World was set to transform the landscape and
enhance the overall performance of the exhibition industry
in China.
to last year.
Maria Elena Rossi, Marketing and
This year a broad range of 800
Promotion Director, Italian National
companies and organisations from 84 Tourism Board, said: “We are investing in
countries presented their products to the the Chinese market which is becoming very
than 200 exhibition companies, organisers and institutions Chinese travel industry, reflecting a much interesting for us as it has been constantly
from 28 countries (read more on p27). more international look to the tradefair. growing by 10% each year.”
The UFI European Conference 2019 was attended by more
Shenzhen, once a small fishing village, has transformed
to become a dynamic city and part of China’s Silicon Valley
– birthplace of high-tech enterprises like Tencent, Huawei
and DJI.
In five years, the Greater Bay Area is projected to overtake
the Tokyo Bay Area to become the world’s No.1 Bay Area
in terms of GDP. It’s gross GDP (US$1.36 trillion) already
outshines San Francisco Bay Area.
Shenzhen holds a leading position in annual exhibition
space sold in China and the new Shenzhen World will offer
500,000sqm of indoor exhibition space once Phase 2 is
“Overall, this year’s premieres, such as the
customised travel area, new conference topics
or the ITB China Travel Trends Report showed
that ITB China has created unstoppable
momentum and as such, is clearly bringing
back optimism to the industry.”
complete.
The venue will have 19 halls arranged symmetrically
along a central corridor.
w w w.exhibitionworld.co.uk
Dr Martin Buck, Senior Vice-President, Travel
& Logistics, Messe Berlin
Issue 3 2019
23