UFI Congress in St. Petersburg, Russia, Draws 450 Members to Opening General Assembly
October 31, 2018
More than 450 events professionals from UFI members in more than 54 countries met today in St. Petersburg, Russia, to review UFI’s work throughout 2018 and confirm plans for the year ahead.
The 2018 UFI General Assembly took place before UFI’s Global Congress, “The Dynamics of Transition – Our Industry’s Complex Future”.
Chaired by UFI’s 2018 President, Corrado Peraboni, the General Assembly highlighted an array of new initiatives supporting UFI’s 780 members in 86 countries. Global membership has grown by another 5 percent this year.
“It has been a busy year serving the growing global community of UFI members around the world,” Peraboni said.
He added, “Never before has the UFI team organised this many meetings and events for our industry, and we have seen a record number of participants. After a year as UFI President, I can say with conviction that there is no other global community like this in our industry.”
Peraboni highlighted two developments: the opening of our regional office in Bogota, Colombia, marks UFI’s presence in all our four regions around the world.
He added, “This is a vital milestone in our strategic project of ‘glocalisation’, where we are investing to serve our members close to their respective homes. Secondly, I am very happy to share that we now have more than 1,000 “UFI Approved Events” in 75 countries. This certification is a globally recognised standard of quality, as all the shows that carry it are audited.”
More than 1,300 industry professionals attended the broad array of UFI events around the globe, from the “Global CEO Summit” in Cannes, France, to the current “UFl Global Congress” in St. Petersburg.
UFI’s inaugural Latin American Conference alsi was one of the year’s focal points. Hosted by AMPROFEC, it took place at the World Trade Center in Mexico City (Mexico) on 18-19 September. Around 120 people participated from 16 countries. A Latin America Chapter meeting took place alongside the event.
“The UFI team around the world is working every day to make sure we can serve our global member community of over 50,000 industry professionals,” said UFI CEO Kai Hattendorf.
He added, “The fact that more industry leaders and professionals are attending our events, using our research, and joining our educational offers than ever before encourages us to continue on this path. We are very happy to welcome additional members into the UFI network around the world – the knowledge and experience they bring enables everyone to get together to explore new business opportunities in our fast-evolving industry.”
During the next 12 months, UFI is set to continue with its current strategic initiatives, focusing on events, research, education, and advocacy globally.
The annual Global CEO Summit will take place in London Jan. 30-feb. 1. Three Regional Conferences are scheduled to take place in Tokyo March 14-15, Dubai April 8-9 and Birmingham May 15-17.
The Global Congress will take place in Nov. 6-9.
The latest overview of UFI events around the world is available on the UFI website: https://www.ufi.org/our-events/ufi-events-calendar/
While the Congress is only open to members, conferences and Educational Forums are open to all industry professionals.
Craig Newman, CEO Johannesburg Expo Centre (JEC) (South Africa), is UFI’s 2019 President. He is joined in UFI’s new presidential leadership trio by Mary Larkin, EVP at Diversified Communications, Portland, Maine, as Incoming President.
As Corrado Peraboni will leave the association due to starting a new enterprise, he cannot serve as Outgoing President.
Therefore, Dr. Andreas Gruchow, Member of the Managing Board at Deutsche Messe AG Hanover, will stay on the presidential trio for an additional year.
Partner Voices
Overview:
The award-winning Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) goes the extra mile to make every day extraordinary by offering customer service excellence and industry-leading partnerships. From their dedicated in-house Rigging team to their robust Exhibitor Services, The Center of Hospitality brings your imagination to life by helping you host unforgettable meetings and events. With more than 2 million square feet of exhibit space, world-class services and a dream destination, we are committed to making even the most ambitious conventions a reality.
In October 2023, the Orange County Board of County Commissioners voted to approve allocating Tourist Development Tax funding for the $560 million Phase 5A completion of the OCCC. The Convention Way Grand Concourse project will include enhancements to the North-South Building, featuring an additional 60,000 square feet of meeting space, an 80,000- square-foot ballroom and new entry to the North-South Building along Convention Way.
“We are thrilled to begin work on completing our North-South Building which will allow us to meet the growing needs of our clients,” said OCCC Executive Director Mark Tester. “As an economic driver for the community, this project will provide the Center with connectivity and meeting space to host more events and continue to infuse the local economy with new money and expanding business opportunities.”
Amenities:
The Center of Hospitality goes above and beyond by offering world-class customer service and industry-leading partnerships. From the largest convention center Wi-Fi network to custom LAN/WAN design, the Center takes pride in enhancing exhibitor and customer experience.
The OCCC is the exclusive provider of electricity (24-hour power at no additional cost), aerial rigging and lighting, water, natural gas and propane, compressed air, and cable TV services. Convenience
The Center is at the epicenter of the destination, with an abundance of hotels, restaurants, and attractions within walking distance. Pedestrian bridges connect both buildings to more than 5,200 rooms and is within a 15-minute drive from the Orlando International Airport. The convenience of the location goes hand-in-hand with top notch service to help meet an event’s every need.
Gold Key Members
The OCCC’s Gold Key Members represent the best of the best when it comes to exceptional service and exclusive benefits for clients, exhibitors and guests. The Center’s Gold Key memberships with Universal Orlando Resort, SeaWorld Orlando and Walt Disney World greatly enhance meeting planner and attendee experiences offering world-renowned venues, immersive experiences and creative resources for their events.
OCCC Events:
This fiscal year, the OCCC is projected to host 168 events, 1.7 million attendees, and $2.9 billion in economic impact.
The Center’s top five events during their 2022-2023 fiscal year included:
AAU Jr. National Volleyball Championships 2023
200,000 Attendees
$257 Million in Economic Impact
MEGACON 2023
160,000 Attendees
$205 Million in Economic Impact
Open Championship Series 2023
69,500 Attendees
$89 Million in Economic Impact
Sunshine Classic 2023
42,000 Attendees
$54 Million in Economic Impact
Premiere Orlando 2023
42,000 Attendees
$108 Million in Economic Impact
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