We've seen quite a few countries this month discovering the potential that tradeshows and exhibitions can bring to a region.
The new tourism fair for the Americas, FITA, which opened its doors for the first time in Mexico City, showed that Mexico is now taking business tourism seriously.
One of the event's organisers even used the fair to assert that in some regions, business events and tradeshows are pivotal to the speedy recovery of a destination hit by climatic disaster. It's a key talking point for Mexican trade fair association Amprofec, and its new head Rafael Hernandez Gomez (pictured), MD of publisher Nuestromundo and Latin tradeshow mag MasExpos.
In Scandinavia, Fairlink is attempting to evolve the local market too, in particular with medium-sized shows in Sweden and Finland. With heightened awareness of the benefits these events bring, and the investment required to attract the big international events, the region is growing its offering and providing a solution that works for today's organiser.
On the venue side, we’ve seen Ireland open its first international convention and exhibition centre in Dublin, while on the other side of the UK, Denmark has a new event space in the shape of MCH Multiarena.
And in the Middle East, Oman has finally appointed a company to develop the delayed first stage of its new exhibition centre.
The choices available for international organisers, it seems, are ever-growing.
Any comments? Email exhibitionworld@mashmedia.net
