VIEWPOINT
Events back in business
Kai Hattendorf , UFI CEO & Managing Director , on how the exhibitions industry is getting back to business with live events , and expanding globally
As the world moves past the pandemic , the exhibitions industry is making a remarkable recovery , thanks to the resilience , innovation , and strength of the community . Exhibition organisers and associations have managed to bring live event platforms back in speed and style . Events in nearly all parts of the world are seeing levels of attendance similar – if not higher – to those before the pandemic . And some shows are even bigger , both physically and financially , than before the pandemic , driven by pent-up demand . This is especially true for small and medium sizes businesses , itching to network and to refresh and make new business connections face-to-face . This year , more than ever , we were delighted to welcome the UFI community to Dubai , UAE , to Poznan , Poland , to Buenos
Aires , Argentina and to Hamburg , Germany already for in person conferences . It was a pleasure to be together again after such a long time apart . The power of meeting in person was clear , as delegates were visibly happy to be able to reconnect after a long period apart to network , learn and share ideas .
Another major example is this year ’ s Global Exhibitions Day ( GED ), which is an International Day of Recognition for the irreplaceable value of physical exhibitions and face-to-face business events in bringing people together and driving the global economy . On 1 June 2022 , we saw the celebrations of thousands of event professionals across the globe , saying how proud they are to be in this industry , and how much they value face-to-face events . It is , without a doubt , a symbol of the power of face-to-face events in bringing people together to create platforms for economic growth and recovery .
36 September 2022