G3 Partners – AIPC, ICCA and UFI – release new position paper: Business Events are the Fast Track to Recovery
Amsterdam / Brussels / Paris – 22 February 2022: Two years into the global COVID pandemic, with a majority of the world’s population vaccinated against the disease, policymakers around the world are faced with the challenge to stimulate and manage societies and economies. As COVID related restrictions are rolled back and lifted, policy priorities are shifting.
Business events will be a key driver of this recovery, both locally and globally. Bringing communities, markets and industries together face to face has always and will remain the best way to drive innovation and business. Business events are the fast track to recovery.
To support the re-opening of business events as well as the wider events industry, we are pleased to announce the launch of a new policy white paper: Business Events are the Fast Track to Recovery.
The report is produced jointly by AIPC, the International Association of Convention Centres, ICCA, the International Congress and Convention Association, and UFI, the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, three main global trade bodies representing and serving the business events industry.
The report supports advocacy efforts of the business events industry by highlighting the value and importance of the business events industry and gives examples of what other governments and policymakers around the world are doing to support the return of events.
AIPC, ICCA and UFI hope that this paper will support the efforts of our members, our customers and the wider business industry as we reopen our meeting places and market places. As more and more international events take place safely and successfully around the world, we hope this will encourage and empower other to follow suit. The recovery of our industries and economies depends on the swift return of face-to-face business events.
AIPC CEO, Sven Bossu says: “With the world of organised events opening up again, collaboration is more important than ever. The bridges built over the last two years have allowed to create a joint vision on organised events. This vision now needs to be nurtured and further developed, allowing all stakeholders in the organised events industry – including regulators and authorities – to boost collaboration, innovation and trade. This new paper is the next step in doing so“.
Senthil Gopinath, ICCA CEO, comments: “The business events industry is in need of a guiding strategy to showcase the importance and economic impact of our industry and the position paper demonstrates the reality. The G3 effort is intended to serve the worldwide industry with a roadmap to keep the industry moving forward. It’s a document that can shed light on opportunities for collaboration and innovation.”
Kai Hattendorf, Managing Director and CEO of UFI adds: “We have seen the speed of reopening gathering pace, and this is very encouraging. However even when we are fully open once again, we still have some work to do. We need to ensure that government and policymakers do understand and appreciate the value we being to their economies, which is not the case everywhere so far. However, we can help shape this conversation, to position our industry in the collective minds of governments around the world and give it the recognition it deserves. It is a great opportunity.”
To download the guide, click here
About AIPC –The International Association of Convention Centres: Founded in 1958, AIPC is a global network of some 190 leading centres in 61 countries with the active involvement of more than 900 management-level professionals. Its mission is to encourage, support and recognise excellence in convention centre management, based on the diverse experience and expertise of its international membership, and it maintains a full range of educational, research, networking and management standards programmes in order to achieve this. AIPC recognises and actively promotes the essential role of the international meetings industry in supporting economic, academic and professional development in communities where its members are located as well as enhancing global relations amongst diverse business and cultural interests worldwide.
For more information, visit www.aipc.org or contact the AIPC Secretariat at secretariat@aipc.org
About ICCA – the International Congress and Convention Association: as the global community and knowledge hub for the international association meetings industry, ICCA is the global association leader for the international meetings industry and specialises in the international association meetings sector, offering unrivalled data, education, communication channels, and business development and networking opportunities. Since its establishment in 1963, ICCA has represented the world’s top destinations and most experienced suppliers specialised in handling, transporting and accommodating international meetings and events, and comprises over 1,100 member companies and organisations in almost 100 countries and territories worldwide. As of 2020, ICCA encompasses all major stakeholders in the world of association meetings, by opening its doors to associations with the launch of the “ICCA Association Community”, offering education, connections, tools and resources to associations to organise more effective meetings.
For more information, visit the ICCA website www.iccaworld.org or contact us via icca@iccaworld.org.
About UFI – The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry: UFI is the global trade association of the world’s tradeshow organisers and exhibition centre 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 organisations in 83 countries around the world are presently signed up as members. Around 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 information, please contact: UFI Headquarters: Email: media@ufi.org Tel: +33 (0)1 46 39 75 00 or www.ufi.org