SHERIDAN, WYOMING – November 19, 2024 - the 91st UFI Global Congress brought the international exhibition industry together at the Koelnmesse Confex in Cologne, Germany from November 20-23, 2024. For four days, leading minds of the industry discussed current challenges and set the course for the future of the global event and network industry at the world congress of the UFI, The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry. This year's congress motto, "Changes to Chances", proved to be a fitting theme.
"It underscores how profoundly changes and opportunities are interrelated and how crucial it is to be open to both," said Gerald Böse, CEO of Koelnmesse GmbH, during the opening press conference.
Following the end of the global corona pandemic, trade fair companies around the world have experienced a strong comeback. The UFI forecasts record sales for 2024 and further growth for the global exhibition industry of 17 percent on average compared to the previous year. According to a recent analysis by the UFI and the consulting firm Oxford Economics, trade fair participants most recently generated sales of more than 792 billion euros (885 billion US dollars) at and around trade fairs. The industry thus directly and indirectly secures around 3.4 million jobs worldwide.
"At the same time, the trade fair industry is undergoing profound technological and cultural changes that are fundamentally changing the demands placed on it. These developments offer opportunities to make events more inclusive, accessible and efficient, but they also require new skills to be developed," says Geoff Dickinson, President of the UFI Global Association.
"The opportunity to develop strategies together, especially in intensive times, in order to turn the changes of today into the opportunities of tomorrow is unique," adds Kai Hattendorf, CEO of the UFI Global Association.
Trade fairs and congresses as drivers of a sustainable economy
With a record number of around 550 participants from over 55 markets and regions and a diverse program featuring approximately 50 speakers, the 91st UFI Global Congress in Cologne set new standards. The speakers included leading figures from the exhibition industry and external experts from renowned organizations such as the Economist Intelligence Unit, The Guardian and Gapminder.
"Networking events such as these are platforms where people from different cultures and countries can engage in dialogue and work together on solutions," says Jörn Holtmeier, Managing Director of AUMA, the Association of the German Trade Fair Industry. "At the same time, trade fairs contribute to climate protection by efficiently bundling personal contacts and helping to avoid individual journeys."
A recent study by the association indicates that trade fair visitors avoid an average of five additional business trips per trade fair day by bundling their contacts at the trade fair. International visitors even save an average of up to eight trips per trade fair day.
Change is the name of the game in Cologne
"Especially in its 100th year of existence, the Cologne trade fair venue is the ideal location for the UFI Global Congress," says Gerald Böse. "Permanent change has shaped our history, from the first classic trade fairs in 1924 to the most modern digital formats and this new Confex location, a unique mix of conference and exhibition hall."
Böse continues: "I look forward to the new impulses and insights that this congress will offer in all areas - including the topic of sustainability. We at Koelnmesse are consistently pursuing the goal of being climate-neutral by 2030 and are relying on innovative solutions to achieve this goal."
In its 100th anniversary year, Koelnmesse announced a historic record turnover and a profit of 42 million euros. In total, Cologne's trade fair activities contribute 2.0 billion euros to the German economy annually, of which 1.1 billion euros directly in Cologne. They secure around 18,500 jobs, including 12,000 in Cologne. Through recent international expansions, particularly in Asia, Latin America and the Middle East, Koelnmesse is further expanding its global presence.
About UFI, The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry
Based in Paris, UFI is the global trade association of the world's trade fair organizers and exhibition center operators, as well as the most important national and international exhibition companies and selected partners of the exhibition industry. UFI's main goal is to represent, promote and support the business interests of its members and the exhibition industry.
UFI directly represents more than 50,000 exhibition industry employees1 worldwide and also works closely with its more than 70 national and regional association members. Currently, almost 900 member organizations in 90 countries around the world are registered as members. Over 900 international trade fairs bear the UFI quality seal, a guarantee of quality for visitors and exhibitors alike. UFI members continue to offer the international business world a unique marketing medium aimed at developing outstanding personal business opportunities.
About Koelnmesse
Koelnmesse employs around 1,000 people. As a city trade fair company in the heart of Europe, it occupies the third-largest exhibition center in Germany and, with almost 400,000 m² of hall and outdoor space, is among the top ten in the world. Koelnmesse organizes and manages around 80 trade fairs, guest events and corporate events in Cologne and in the most important markets worldwide each year. With its portfolio, it reaches over 43,000 exhibiting companies from 125 countries and around two million visitors from more than 220 nations.
By 2040, Koelnmesse will invest around 1 billion euros in the future of the exhibition center with the most extensive investment program in its history. In 2024, Koelnmesse celebrated its 100th anniversary. 100 years in which Koelnmesse has brought people and markets together worldwide. 100 years in which it has repeatedly reinvented itself with a visionary zest for the future.