BITEC to host UFI global congress

BANGKOK UFI — The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry holds its annual congress in Bangkok on November 24-27 at BITEC. Around 300 delegates from 50 countries are expected to attend the event and a major focus of discussions will be developments in Asia. Ruud van Ingen, UFI president, said: "UFI is pleased to organise its congress in Bangkok this year. The incredible growth of the industry in this region of the world is something our UFI colleagues want to share." "We're looking forward to sharing ideas and experience among our industry colleagues," he said Van Ingen stressed the key importance of the region's rapidly developing exhibition sector. "The Asia Pacific region is not only the fastest growing sector of our business today, but it is also the region growing the fastest in terms of UFI membership. To best serve this region, UFI opened an office in Hong Kong earlier this year." "The UFI Congress, open to UFI Members only, is the closest occasion our industry comes to holding a senior level, think-tank. Our speakers from around the world will present a number of topics focusing on issues of strategic importance and value to our business. Economic insight and perspective is at the top of the list as it relates to the exhibition industry," van Ingen said. Originally founded in 1925 by a federation of 20 European trade shows, the Paris-based organisation has long grown beyond the confines of its birthplace to become a genuinely global industry association.