Recent difficulties aside, how was business for the Egyptian exhibition industry last year? What developments do you hope to see in 2011?
2010 was our best year in the exhibition industry in Egypt up to now. We have been sold out back to back – and many new organisers have contacted us since they wanted to come into the Egyptian market.
Because of the popular uprising, we expect the first half of 2011 to be quieter, because the people of Egypt have to concentrate to build up the country, establish the new legislation and organise parliamentary and presidential elections. At the same time the people want to go back to normal business as soon as possible to ensure their own income as well for the country. We can see that the exhibition industry in Egypt will have an even more important role in the close future to open Egypt up for business and attract foreign activities in our country.
Will EECA form any international partnerships, or join any associations in the next 12 months?
EECA is already the organiser of Cairo International Fair, which is a yearly, 10-day exhibition with around 45,000sqm of net space sold, with normally more than one million visitors. We have already planned to establish different joint ventures in partnership with international organisers.
EECA is already a member of the a number of associations including UFI since 1972, ICCA, AIPC, IAEE, AUIEC and BIE - and we are considering membership in other associations as well. We will definitely be a more active member in all the associations. We want to establish Cairo Expo City as a major gateway for exhibitions and conventions for the Middle East and Africa – and therefore we have to be more active internationally. Secondly we will train our people and staff from the exhibition industry in Egypt to be on a more international level concerning services and client relations. We therefore want to take advantage of the different training programmes the associations are offering. In fact we are building our own training centre with computer lab and meeting rooms.
What was your immediate reaction when the protests began to escalate? What did you do?
The protests took everybody, both in Egypt and abroad, by great surprise. Nobody knew what would happen.
The escalation brought society to a standstill, with banks and shops closed and traffic restricted. We had to put everything on hold and wait for the outcome.
How did EECA respond to the escalating situation in Cairo?
We have our own normal security staff that protects our perimeters at normal time – as well as during the protests. There were no protest activities at our venues at any time.
Were any events cancelled or postponed?
Of course, since the country could not carry out its business as usual, the organisers decided to postpone their events until a more quiet and normal time. With travel restrictions in place and money scarce because of closed banks, it would be difficult to keep exhibitions going on as normal.
How will the crisis affect the way Egypt is marketed as a destination for international trade shows?
I don’t think the popular uprising will have any negative effect on Egypt as a destination for international tradeshows. Rather the opposite – I think there will now be even more interest in coming to Egypt and exploring the market, and the new opportunities for business it offers.
What advice or consultation can you offer organisers or exhibitors that might be reluctant to go to Egypt in light of the protests? For example, would you advise organisers not to hold events at election time?
We don’t expect any violence or demonstrations when the new elections of the Parliament and the President take place. The basic changes have happened now and the changes are expected to be implemented without any problems. Therefore organisers can hold their events any time – even during the elections.
From your own experience, what should an organiser do if they find themselves in a country where this kind of trouble arises when they are supposed to run an exhibition?
Be calm, take time to find out what is happening, then take action and try to make the situation into an opportunity.
Now that Mubarak has stepped down, can you speculate on what effect this will have on the exhibition industry and business in the future?
The constitution of Egypt is dissolved and a new constitution will be written – for the approval of the people of Egypt. Everybody agrees we need to reduce unemployment and improve living conditions, and those can only be done with more business activities and income to the country. I expect therefore that Egypt will be even more open for business than before because the country needs it, and that will be reflected in the legislation.
This means also that the exhibition industry, as a market place for national and international players, will be even more important for the growth of the country in the near and long-term future.
Any comments? Email exhibitionworld@mashmedia.net
