With a new record of around 550 participants from over 55 markets and regions and a diverse programme with around 50 speakers, the 91st UFI Global Congress in Cologne is setting new standards. Speakers include leading figures from the exhibition industry and external experts from renowned organisations such as the Economist Intelligence Unit, The Guardian and Gapminder.
\r\n\u2018Networking events like these are platforms where people from different cultures and countries come together to talk and work on solutions,\u2019 says J\u00f6rn Holtmeier, managing director of AUMA, the Association of the German Trade Fair Industry. \u2018At the same time, trade fairs contribute to climate protection by efficiently combining personal contacts and helping to avoid individual travel.\u2019 A recent study by the association shows that trade fair visitors avoid an average of five additional business trips per day at the trade fair by combining their contacts at the trade fair. International visitors save an average of up to eight trips per day at the trade fair.
\r\nChange is on the programme in Cologne
\u2018Cologne, as a trade fair location, is the ideal venue for the UFI Global Congress, particularly in its 100th year,\u2019 said Gerald B\u00f6se on the opening day. \u2019Constant change has shaped our history, from the first classic trade fairs in 1924 to the most modern digital formats and this new location, Confex, a unique mix of conference and exhibition hall.\u2019 B\u00f6se continued: \u2018I am looking forward to the new impulses and insights that this congress will offer in all areas \u2013 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.\u2019
In its 100th anniversary year, Koelnmesse announced a historic sales record and a profit of 42 million euros. Overall, the Cologne trade fair activities contribute 2.0 billion euros to the German economy annually, 1.1 billion euros of which go directly to Cologne. They secure around 18,500 jobs, including 12,000 in Cologne. Through its latest international expansions, particularly in Asia, Latin America and the Middle East, Koelnmesse is further developing its global presence.
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