By Joyce DiMascio
The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry (UFI) has announced it will hold an Asia-Pacific digital conference in May following the deferral to 2022 of its in-person event secured by Melbourne for February 2021.
Melbourne had successfully bid to host the important Asia-Pacific conference but due to the Covid travel restrictions and lock-downs could not proceed. This was to be the first time the event was to be held in Australia.
In order to support its Asia-Pacific members and the industry, UFI will now hold an online edition and hopes it will be able to go ahead with the plans for Melbourne when international travel resumes and borders re-open.
It all hinges on the vaccine, government policies and what protocols will be put in place globally to allow such in-person events to proceed.
The Melbourne bid for the right to host the Asia-Pacific conference was supported by the Exhibition and Event Association of Australasia (EEAA) which has an MOU with the peak body.
UFI CEO Kai Hattendorf also released dates for the global association’s other events this week. The annual European Conference will be held between June 9 and 10.
He said he was thrilled to also have a physical event in the making for UFI members and the industry community with the prestigious UFI Global Congress set for Rotterdam, The Netherlands between November 3 and 6, 2021.