(Pictured from left: David Zhong, Kiyotsugu Ishihara and Kai Hattendorf at 2019 UFI Asia-Pacific Conference)
Following the postponement of the 15th edition of the UFI Asia-Pacific Conference in Macau due to the COVID-19 virus outbreak, UFI has announced new dates of Aug. 27-28 for the conference, and the Digital Innovation Forum on Aug. 26.
Registration re-opened in March all the way through to the opening of the event. The details can be found at www.ufi.org/macau2020. The venue for the conference remains unchanged, The Parisian in Macau.
“When the outbreak of the coronavirus left us with no choice but to postpone the conference, we pledged to run the event as soon as possible,” says UFI CEO Kai Hattendorf. “Thanks to the great collaboration with our Macau hosts, we can now announce the new dates. Our 15th Asia-Pacific Conference will provide our industry with an important opportunity to meet and to discuss and plot the course ahead after the COVID19 outbreak.”
Registrations from industry professional who previously registered for the UFI Asia-Pacific Conference in Macau will be kept in place for the new August dates unless UFI receives a request to cancel the registration, which will then happen free of charge.
This marks the second time in the history of this conference that it will be held in Macau and UFI expects approximately 300 delegates to gather in Macau to network and to discuss the issues and trends impacting our industry in Asia.
The theme for the conference will remain “Thriving in Challenging Times,” which was selected well before the COVID-19 outbreak. In addition to the virus issue, the world is undeniably in a state of change. Slowing global economic growth. Trade wars. Political and economic uncertainty. Social unrest. Digital disruption. Our industry is facing more challenges than ever before. The exhibition industry will need to navigate these risks to continue to thrive in the years ahead.
Most of the speakers from the original program in March will remain. UFI is in the process of confirming the availability of all speakers and the UFI Asia-Pacific Conference website will be updated in due course.
As previously announced, in addition to the Asia-Pacific Conference, the week in Macau will also feature a Digital Innovation Forum, a meeting of UFI’s Asia/Pacific Chapter, an association committee meeting and a gathering of the UFI China Club. In addition, after the closing of the Asia-Pacific Conference, there will be post-event tours.
UFI is the global trade association of the world’s tradeshow organizers and exhibition center operators, as well as the major national and international exhibition associations, 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 employees globally, and also works closely with its 60 national and regional association members. More than 800 member organizations in 89 countries around the world are presently signed up as members. Around 1,000 international trade fairs bear the UFI approved label, a quality guarantee for visitors and exhibitors alike. UFI members continue to provide the international business community with a unique marketing media aimed at developing outstanding face-to-face business opportunities. For more info, visit www.ufi.org
