IPIM President Mr. Jackson Chang (second right), UFI Managing Director Mr. Kai Hattendorf (first left) and Professor Dr. Jörg Beier from Ravensburg University of Cooperative Education, in Germany (third right), respectively present certificates to students from the 2016 UFI Exhibition Management Degree (UFI-EMD) course
The 83rd UFI Global Congress, organised by UFI - The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, was held at the National Exhibition and Convention Center in Shanghai between 9 and 12 November inclusive. This was the second time the Congress had been held in Mainland China: the first time was in 2006, when the event took place in Beijing. Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute (IPIM) – as the official Macao SAR Government body responsible for promoting the development of the city’s meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) industry – attended the Congress. Representatives from IPIM took part in the main activities of the Congress, and set up a booth at the event to promote Macao’s unique advantages as a MICE destination. The theme for the 83rd UFI Global Congress was “Ripples – The Exhibition Industry in Transformation”. Participants discussed the challenges currently faced by the MICE industry, including changes brought by the digital age, as well as uncertainty connected to political instability and transformations in the global economy. UFI’s annual report on the development of the exhibition industry was delivered during the Congress, and the UFI annual award presentation ceremony also took place there. UFI is a leading international association in the exhibitions and conventions field. Its Congress is one of the most influential annual events in the industry. The 2016 edition attracted approximately 590 participants from more than 40 countries and regions, including industry leaders, executives, young professionals and senior experts. During the Congress, UFI signed an official cooperation agreement with the Shanghai Municipal People’s Government for the establishment of a representative office in Shanghai. The office’s intended role is to help stimulate the development of the MICE industry in Mainland China. IPIM representatives attended the opening ceremony and several high-profile activities at the Congress. IPIM also set up a 6-square-metre booth in the display area of the Congress to promote the features of Macao’s MICE industry and IPIM’s “One-stop Service” for MICE Bidding and Support in Macao. During the Congress, IPIM’s President, Mr. Jackson Chang, along with the Managing Director of UFI, Mr. Kai Hattendorf, and Professor Dr. Jörg Beier from the Ravensburg University of Cooperative Education in Germany, presented certificates to participants in the internationally accredited 2016 UFI Exhibition Management Degree (UFI-EMD), a course for advanced training in exhibition management, which took place in Macao. During the Congress, Mr. Chang had discussions with industry leaders and executives from more than 40 countries and regions. He took the opportunity to promote the 13th China Expo Forum for International Cooperation (CEFCO 2017), to be held in Macao in January. During these exchanges, Mr. Chang also discussed the development of Macao’s MICE industry and presented the latest updates on it. In January this year, at CEFCO 2016, the organising committee of the event announced Macao had been chosen to host CEFCO 2017, the first time it will be staged outside Mainland China.
