UFI Congress
Building strong Platforms
of Trust in Bangkok
Exhibitions, just as the markets
they serve, rely heavily on trust.
UFI’s 86th global Congress, held in
Bangkok, 6-9 November, explored
this overarching theme of ‘Building
Platforms of Trust’ from many
angles and speakers, backed up by
research and analysis.
he UFI Congress
Day 1 agenda saw
the UFI Xchange
sessions, kind of
TED-style presentations, from
Warsaw, Shanghai and Las Vegas.
The presentation from Stuart
Bailey, Chairman of the Hong Kong
Exhibition and Convention Industry
Association, was the most keenly
anticipated, given the ‘civil unrest’
elephant in the Hong Kong room. The
question of trust is clearly under the
spotlight in what has been a tradefair
leader for decades.
Delegates in Bangkok were
sympathetic to the challenges facing
Bailey and exhibition professionals
in Hong Kong. The silver lining
would appear to be evidence of the
resilience of the tradefair model
there in adapting despite the crisis
situation.
Congress keynote speaker, global
conductor Charles Hazlewood,
hit many positive notes with an
impassioned presentation on
the story of how he formed a
paraorchestra. The clip of that
orchestra performing at the
Paralympics did not leave many dry
eyes in the hall.
UFI’s General Assembly reviewed a
year which saw the association drive
membership above 800 companies.
The General Assembly heard that
participants at UFI global events
exceeded last year’s record by 8%,
and the Bangkok annual Congress
w w w.exhibitionworld.co.uk
tied as the biggest ever with 550
registered participants.
Craig Newman, UFI’s 2019
President, told the audience: “Three
things stand out from all the work
around the world: UFI’s focus on
collaboration, the development in
UFI’s smaller chapters in Middle East/
Africa and Latin America, and UFI’s
research work.”
Newman also noted the year had
seen a groundbreaking agreement
with the creation of the Global
Alliance, together with industry
associations AIPC and ICCA. “As the
business models for exhibitions and
conferences today overlap, we can
learn from each other,” said Newman.
UFI’s return to Bangkok put the
spotlight on the largest tradeshow
market in ASEAN, where, according
to UFI research, in 2018 640,000sqm
of tradeshow floor space was sold in
Thailand, an increase of around 4%.
UFI’s stake on young professionals
making their way in the industry
was evidenced by the high-calibre
Next Generation Leadership Grant
presentations.
UFI’s research continues to grow
and members can use the revitalised
portal at ufi.org/research.
UFI and its research partner
Explori followed their Global Visitor
Insights study, produced with support
from The Society of Independent
Show Organisers (SISO), with a Global
Exhibitor Insights report for 2019.
A synopsis delivered on stage in
Bangkok by Explori’s Global Strategy
Director Sophie Holt revealed some
uncomfortable reading for the
industry, with Net Promoter scores
shown to be alarmiingly low.
90% of exhibitors – and over a
thousand were surveyed – reported
being ‘frustrated’ at sales and
planning costs of stand and additional
services and a massive 96% said they
were dissatisfied at the shows they attended, the
report revealed.
Life is particularly tough, it seems, for small
exhibitors and their ‘Platform of Trust’ appears
shaky, with demand for proof of ROI not being
met, according to the GEI report.
Other statistics not reflecting well on the
sector included 36% of exhibitors not believing
organisers’ visitor numbers and 60% saying
organisers were overcharging.
The full report is promised in January 2020,
which gives its stakeholders some time, at least,
to get their lines of explanation polished.
The Bangkok Congress also saw the release
of the first-ever comprehensive overview of the
tradeshow industry in Latin America.
There were busy Special Interest Group
sessions and Chapter meeting reports, while
hosts TCEB and their partners put on some
stunning social events, including a full Thai fun
fair evening at Wat Pho and Museum Siam.
Summarising UFI’s activities for 2019, Kai
Hattendorf, UFI Managing Director/CEO said:
“We are pleased to report another year where
we have been able to support our members
around the world…Globally, the exhibition
industry continues to grow at a steady pace
despite political and economic headwinds.”
Projecting ahead, UFI will hold its annual
Global CEO Summit in Rome (Italy), 5 -7
February, while three regional conferences are
scheduled to take place in Macau (China, 4-6
March); Buenos Aires (Argentina, 20-21 April,
and Gothenburg (Sweden, 3-5 June).
UFI Forums include: the Digital Innovation
Forum in Macau (China) on 4 March, a Forum
on Sustainable Development in Paris (France),
13-15 May, and an HR Management Forum in
Gothenburg (Sweden), 2-3 June.
The UFI Global Congress 2020 goes to Muscat
(Oman), 9-12 November.
Issue 6 2019
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