UFI, the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, has announced that the 2020 UFI Global Congress will be held in Muscat, Sultanate of Oman, and will be hosted by the Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre (pictured above).
The UFI Board of Directors made the decision to take the UFI Global Congress to Muscat, Oman, during their meeting in Verona in May. UFI President Corrado Peraboni, explains, “We are delighted to be returning to the Middle East–the last congress that took place there was in Abu Dhabi in 2012 (hosted by ADNEC). This region is of great importance to UFI, and this is the message we wish to communicate.”
Ideally situated on the Arabian Peninsula and only seven hours away from half of the world’s population, Oman is a country that merits to be discovered. Oman is a diverse nation rich in both history and culture, blessed with a breath-taking natural beauty.
UFI CEO/MD Kai Hattendorf, welcomed the chairman of the Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre, His Excellency Mohsin Al Balushi, to the UFI headquarters in Paris, to officialize the arrangements by the signing of a hosting agreement (pictured right). H.E. said that “It was an honour to have been selected to host the 2020 UFI Global Congress and bringing such prestigious delegates to Oman would showcase the wonderful exhibition facilities and services that the country has to offer and reflects the growing confidence in the local market place. I am sure that the delegates will have a memorable experience in this land of enormous diversity and natural beauty. Our new convention and exhibition centre is the ideal venue for facilitating the exchange of ideas amongst the UFI members.”
Trevor McCartney, general manager of Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre and UFI Board member says, “We are delighted to have been chosen to host the 2020 UFI Global Congress and Team Oman will ensure that each guest will receive a very special welcome in this destination renowned for traditional Omani hospitality.”
The UFI Global Congress is organized in November of each year and brings together more than 500 industry professionals from more than 50 countries. It has previously been hosted in Johannesburg, South Africa (2017), Shanghai, China (2016) and Milan, Italy (2015). This year, it will be hosted in St. Petersburg, Russia, followed by Bangkok, Thailand, in 2019.
Attachments: 1 – Photo: Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre. 2 – Photo: His Excellency Mohsin Al Balushi, Chairman of Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre with Kai Hattendorf, UFI CEO/MD, signing the 87th UFI Global Congress hosting agreement.
The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry: UFI is the leading global association of the world’s tradeshow organiszrs 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 around 50,000 exhibition industry employees globally, and also works closely with its 58 national and regional association members. More than 770 member organizations in 87 countries around the world are presently signed up as members. More than 1,000 international trade fairs proudly 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
