UFI in Bahrain: Strengthening relationships, maintaining momentum

Trade fair decision-makers are coming together for the 93rd UFI Global Congress from 2 to 5 November against the backdrop of a challenging geopolitical environment.

Given the conflicts taking place in the region, the signs have not been very promising for this event for quite some time. But the UFI (Global Association of the Meeting Industry) has been monitoring the security situation for months now and ultimately decided to stick to the plan to hold its international get-together on the island in the Persian Gulf. This year’s congress is taking its themes from the international situation. It will examine how organisations can maintain their momentum, take decisions and exploit new opportunities in an increasingly complex and unpredictable environment. Now that uncertainty has become a constant, business leaders have to find a balance between resilience and agility, emphasise those who have set the UFI’s agenda, “by strengthening relationships, deepening commitment and adding value throughout the year”.

The general manager of the Shanghai New International Expo Centre (SNIEC), Michael Kruppe, and Sara Ahmed Buhejji, who is hosting the congress, will be speaking about this during it. Their session on the morning of 3 November is entitled “From Uncertainty to Opportunity: Rebuilding Confidence and Accelerating Growth”. Buhejji is proud that the UFI has come to the Kingdom of Bahrain. “Hosting the UFI Global Congress for the first time is a milestone for Bahrain,” explains Buhejji, who is the CEO of the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA) and also the Chair of Exhibition World Bahrain (EWB), where the congress is taking place. “It underscores the growing significance of the kingdom for business meetings of international importance.” As always, the host country is a focus of the congress. On 4 November, local decision-makers will be reporting on both the dynamic event organisation scene and the trade fair industry in Bahrain (www.ufi.org).

The UFI Global Congress is also a good opportunity for Exhibition World Bahrain, the venue, to raise its profile with international trade fair decision-makers. “We are delighted to be able to welcome our international colleagues so that they can experience this first-class congress,” asserted Sara Ahmed Buhejji. “At the same time, they get the opportunity to enjoy Bahrain’s famous hospitality and experience its rich cultural heritage.” She also makes reference to the kingdom’s ambitious vision for the future of trade fairs and business tourism. A central component of that is Exhibition World Bahrain itself. The venue offers a great variety of rooms and halls for events of all kinds and sizes – from large conventions and trade fairs to conferences and meetings but also live entertainment, big weddings, galas and company events. The EWB has ten large exhibition halls and a comprehensive range of rooms for conventions. Thanks to the capacities available, multiple events and trade fairs can take place concurrently (www.ewbahrain.com).

How has the conflict between the US and Iran impacted the international trade fair industry? The results of the 37th Global Exhibition Barometer of the UFI show that the current situation in the Middle East has had only a limited impact: only 14 percent of companies around the world – and 10 percent outside the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) – reported strong negative effects on business at the time of the survey, which was carried out in June. “Our barometer indicates that, outside the GCC region, there are no real signs of there being significant consequences of the current unrest in the Middle East,” commented UFI CEO Chris Skeith. “Positive trends continue to prevail around the world, despite the economic concerns in some countries,” reported Skeith. “Understandably, inside the GCC region, the effects of the conflict are, of course, significant.” But the situation has improved since the survey. “And we are confident that the industry will recover quickly,” emphasised Skeith when the survey results were published in the summer.