AUSTRALASIA - The Exhibition and Events Association of Australasia (EEAA) has launched a new national advocacy campaign to drive business and economic development towards exhibitions and events.
EEAA chief executive Joyce DiMascio said there were two tiers to the new Power of Exhibitions campaign – the first is about the effectiveness of exhibitions as a marketing channel and the second is about their flow-on benefits.
“The campaign features ambassadors for the sector, people with skin in the game who tell us about the Power of Exhibitions in their businesses,” said DiMascio. “Their messages are at the heart of our campaign – they are unscripted, authentic and powerful.”
EEAA president Domenic Genua said the campaign would help build awareness and the reputation of the industry as a driver of economic activity.
"With construction by Lend Lease now underway at Sydney’s interim exhibition centre at Glebe Island, it is most timely to remind Governments, investors and other stakeholders that exhibitions and events are the lifeblood of our cities and regions,” he said.
“The events organised by EEAA members attract 1.6 million visitors each year providing benefits for hotels, airlines, restaurants and many other associated businesses. However, this is only a small part of their impact. For the thousands of big and small companies, trade and consumer exhibitions are the backbone of their businesses.”
The EEAA expects the campaign to generate benefits in the visitor economy by bringing in new attendees, exhibitors, buyers, organisers and contractors. This will then result in helping to drive businesses into domestic and export markets.
Managing director of the Global Association for the Exhibition Industry (UFI) Paul Woodward welcomed the EEAA initiative. “We are passionate believers in the impact they can have on businesses and the communities they serve in the 85 countries where we have members. It should have a big impact as it gets the message out about how our industry generates new business and helps to create a lot of jobs."
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