aTP- Arab tourism portal- Sharjah,- The regional exhibitions industry on Tuesday (Feb 16) took stock of current market conditions, and discussed ways to identify and address major trends and challenges that impact the sector.
The leaders of the region’s meetings and exhibitions industry gathered at Expo Centre Sharjah for the first meeting of the Board Members of the International Association of Exhibitions and Events’ (IAEE) Gulf Chapter, which was presided over by its Chairman Mr. Saif Mohammed Al Midfa.
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“Given the market conditions that range from low oil prices to geopolitical shifts and global headwinds, the meeting assumed importance to all our members. We also decided to enrich our members’ experience by encouraging networking, education and collaboration. Activities to mark the Global Exhibitions Day on June 8 too were high on agenda,” said Mr. Midfa, who is the CEO of Expo Centre Sharjah.
An initiative by Dallas-based IAEE and Paris-based UFI, the Global Exhibitions Day aims to promote the value of exhibiting for companies, the role of exhibitions for development of trade and internationalisation, as well as their role in driving innovation and competitiveness of companies.
“It is the regional chapters that spearhead the front-line operations of the IAEE and offer superior networking and educational opportunities to members. IAEE has a unique position in the provision of professional networking and training in exhibitions and events and we would like our members to take full advantage of the superior opportunities,” added Mr. Midfa.
Education has been identified as an increasingly important element at trade shows and events. Experts project that the industry will need to upgrade its teaching and learning approaches – and technologies – to accommodate the broad spectrum of changing attendee demographics and learning styles.
IAEE is the largest association of the exhibitions and events industry in the world, with a membership of show organizers, exhibitors and exhibition suppliers. Globally, IAEE is composed of 1,300 members (organizations) and over 9,000 member representatives (individuals), while the Arabian Gulf Chapter has 30 members.
