UFI, the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, has cancelled its European Conference, which was scheduled for 3-5 June at the Swedish Exhibition & Congress Centre in Gothenburg, and its co-located Forum on HR, which was scheduled for 2-3 June at the same venue.
This decision was made due to the current COVID-19 crisis. Nick Dugdale-Moore, UFI Regional Manager Europe, explains, “The ongoing pandemic has left us with no other choice. We wanted to run the events as soon as possible, however we could not find suitable dates later this year, when our hosts and the wider industry will undoubtedly have very busy calendars. We thank our hosts at the Swedish Exhibition & Congress Centre for being so accommodating, and we look forward to bringing the event to Gothenburg at some time in the future.”
“We wanted to run the events as soon as possible, however we could not find suitable dates later this year, when our hosts and the wider industry will undoubtedly have very busy calendars.”
Registration fees for both events will be reimbursed, and the UFI team will be reaching out to all participants and partners in due course.
However planning is already underway for the next European Conference, which will take place from 5-7 May 2021 in Poznan, Poland, and will be hosted by Grupa MTP.
Tomasz Kobierski, Chairman of the Board of Grupa MTP, says, “Founded in 1921, next year marks 100 years of organising trade fairs, a very important milestone for our company and the Polish exhibition industry. Please join us in Poznan to celebrate together in style.”
“Exhibitions and trade fairs in the post-COVID-19 era will play a crucial role in the economic recovery at a local and regional level and we will need to work together to support each other, as our industry always does.”
In the meantime, UFI has undertaken to facilitate meetings between its members at various smaller events across Europe, once restrictions on travel and meetings have been lifted.
“Once we get through this crisis and shows can open their doors again, all of us at UFI look forward to visiting as many trade fairs and venues of our members across Europe as possible. We will organise smaller meetings where members and others can network and share ideas, both formal and informal. Exhibitions and trade fairs in the post-COVID-19 era will play a crucial role in the economic recovery at a local and regional level and we will need to work together to support each other, as our industry always does,” adds Dugdale-Moore.
