EUROPE - Global exhibition industry association UFI is in Hamburg, Germany, this week for its 2012 European Open Seminar.
The event, which runs until Wednesday 21 June, comprises two important industry conferences, the UFI Open Seminar in Europe (18-20 June) and the UFI Focus Meeting on Sustainable Development (21 June).
More than 200 exhibition industry professionals from 39 countries are attending the event, which aims to provide them with fresh opportunity to explore new ideas and exchange practical information.
This year’s UFI Open Seminar in Europe focuses on an exploration of the changing expectations of exhibition customers. UFI believes exhibition professionals must retain the unique flavor of exhibitions’ face-to-face marketing experience without excluding or discounting the 'virtual and real world overlap' and appreciate the potential of new technologies and communications platforms. Exhibition organisers of both trade and consumer events must understand the major trends in the industries underlying their exhibitions if they are to integrate these into the exhibition concept and service design.
A spokesman for UFI said the move, from simply renting space to the more involved process of facilitating business, means changing a show’s core elements can also lead organisers to change their basis for pricing. As a result the seminar will examine real case studies to see what options related to these issues are viable in today’s tight economic climate.
The UFI Focus Meeting on Sustainable Development, meanwhile, will give exhibition specialists a chance to hear from several organisers and venues on winning strategies that have proven successful in the trade fair environment.
UFI managing director Paul Woodward said: “UFI is delighted to be able to bring this important mid-year meeting to Hamburg. The city is one of Europe’s most important trade centres and as such absolutely appropriate as a location for a meeting of the exhibitions industry.
“Exhibitions are vital and powerful facilitators of new business and trade and we thank Hamburg Messe for giving us the opportunity to discuss the future of our industry here in their wonderful facilities.”
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