From 23 – 24 June, Porto, Portugal, will be the gathering spot for exhibition professionals from trade fair organisations around the world.
Participating in the UFI 2009 Open Seminar in Europe, participants will focus their attention on how to “Partner with your Exhibitors for Success in Tough Times”.
Hosted by Exponor – Porto International Fair in the city’s Europarque, this is the first time that UFI, the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, is holding this prestigious exhibition industry event in Portugal.
The group, gathering from 30 countries, will debate issues and exchange knowledge and ideas on how trade fairs can partner for success with their exhibitor clients, reposition trade show events during these current economic difficulties, and work with exhibitors to assess their return on marketing investment resulting from their exhibition investment.
John Shaw, UFI’s President, described the occasion, saying “This UFI Open Seminar in Europe brings together leading exhibition professionals to share ideas on new methods to increase visitor attendance, examine crisis management techniques and learn about innovative marketing practices in the trade fair sector."
"Our exhibition industry recognises the need to work closely with our exhibitors and visitors to ensure that we all benefit from this marketing medium’s unique capability to bring buyers and sellers together. While this is important in the best of times, today’s business climate requires that we work together even harder to maximize business opportunities for everyone.”
For José Carlos Coutinho, General Manager of Exponor and a member of UFI’s Board of Directors, this seminar reflects the important impact that is directly attributable to exhibitions as they support the marketing efforts of organisations around the world.
“Despite the current global economic difficulties, the focus of our industry is still on providing a strong commercial vehicle for the development of multiple industry sectors, brands and companies that know how to use trade fairs as a unique face-to-face marketing tool. We have an on-going commitment to providing effective solutions to exhibitors even during today’s difficult economic climate”, he added.
As an extra attraction, Exponor has prepared a special Open Seminar social programme, “We will maximise the unique atmosphere that the metropolitan area of Porto community shares on Saint John’s evening by sharing this unique Porto experience with our guests in one of the Port wine cellars on the left bank of the Douro river."
"This is a special opportunity to provide Porto with global visibility. It’s a unique way to promote Porto to a global audience. The potential multiplier impact on an international level can be considerable”, José Carlos Coutinho underlines.
This 2009 UFI Open Seminar is open to all exhibition professionals, UFI members and non-members alike. Participants represent exhibition organisers, venue managers, partners of the exhibition industry and related educational and association representatives.
UFI, The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, has members in 82 countries on six continents that are responsible for the organisation of 4,500 events and for the management of 181 exhibition venues.
In addition, UFI provides a key service by attributing "UFI Approved Event" status to leading trade fairs that meet the most demanding quality criteria and demonstrate a real international character, both in terms of visitors and exhibitors.
Currently 840 trade fairs around the world have earned this unique label.
“We are very proud that Exponor has earned this distinguished “UFI Approved” label for seventeen of our exhibitions.” said Exponor’s Marketing and Communication Director, Manuel de Sousa, who is also an active member of UFI’s Marketing Committee.
Exponor has been an active and much appreciated member of UFI since 1991, participating on the UFI Board of Directors and other UFI Working
Committees.
For more information, visit UFI
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