UFI Asia-Pacific Conference unites exhibition industry leaders in Macau

15.03.2024

Close to 300 delegates from 20 countries and regions attended the UFI Asia-Pacific Conference in Macau. The annual event was held at The Parisian Macao and hosted by the Macau Fair & Trade Association.

The conference took place from 7-8 March and was co-located with the first-ever Event Directors Summit held in Asia. “This was our first time bringing this event to Macau since 2008. Both Macau and its MICE industry have grown remarkably since then. This year’s conference was particularly successful in bringing together UFI members and industry leaders from around the region, including approximately 150 from Greater China. A key theme explored in Macau was the emerging importance of the Greater Bay Area and growth opportunities for our industry in this region,” commented Mark Cochrane, UFI Asia-Pacific regional director.

Ms. Synthia Chan, council chairperson for the Macau Trade & Fair Association, said, “What an honour it was to host the 2024 UFI Asia-Pacific Conference! It got our adrenaline pumping with fun and surprises! And as always it was a pleasure to work with the UFI team. We have been waiting for years to host this event again, and now I can honestly say it was worth the wait!”

Over the two days of the conference, speakers covered key issues such as the rise of AI and its expected impact on exhibitions, the importance of implementing sustainable best practices, the evolution of event formats and the exciting opportunities emerging in China’s Greater Bay Area which includes cities such as Hong Kong, Macau, Shenzhen and Guangzhou.

All sessions will be made available to UFI members and conference participants in the coming days as on-demand videos. Macau also saw the initial edition of the “Event Directors Summit” format in the region. Launched in Europe in 2023, this invitation-only summit connects show and portfolio directors across borders to discuss common challenges.

Alongside the conference, UFI held numerous association meetings, including the Asia-Pacific chapter meeting and a session of the Associations Committee. UFI management also hosted a student delegation from Macau’s City University. In 2025, the UFI Asia-Pacific Conference will take place in Melbourne from 13-14 February, hosted by the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.

As the global association of the exhibition industry, UFI organises annual regional conferences in Asia-Pacific, the Americas, Europe, and the Middle East & Africa, as well as the UFI Global Congress. Full details about the UFI Asia-Pacific Conference 2024 can be found on the event website: www.ufiasia.org.