Message From UFI President, Mary Larkin

Resilience and People

As we enter another month of the COVID19 crisis, it’s impact on our industry, our businesses and our lifes is sll growing. We are all striving within ourselves to be resilient, to plan events in the midst of uncertainty, to “pivot” to other revenue streams and to hang on to the posive news from elsewhere and glimmers of hope that we see around us. While events are reopening in many countries, there is confusion as to the value they bring to an economy in many others. Discussion topics vary from the need for advocacy to our customers discussing the future of events.

One thing is certain, we do need to be resilient and picture a future beyond this crisis. Because this, too, will pass.

But: What does that future look like? How will we deliver events that are safe and yet, are the vehicles that have driven and will drive economies for years?

There is a simple, obvious answer that we tend to overlook – almost as somemes

one does not noce the trees in the forest: We will do that just as we have always done! We will draw on the skills, the ideas, the talents of the people who drive this industry, who are of this industry. They – we all – are the backbone of ensuring that events are built, opened and that businesses grow.

Companies are facing major employment losses across the globe as they strive to manage cashflows and plan for the short term, before events reopen. The enre supply chain is at risk of further fragmentaon as the reopening of events is stalled again. For those seeking employment, hiring freezes or lack of employment make the industry they love, very unaracve. How do we reengage the “people” factor of our industry?

There are small but mighty groups, scaered across the globe, who are working to ensure that our colleagues reenter the industry swily, once this crisis passes. We will need that brain power and their resilience to help us leave this crisis behind. For this, we need to ensure that, even now, we can easily stay connected as industry professionals and colleagues.

At UFI, we are working on the issue of keeping connecons going, and we have looked at how this is impacng the industry as a whole. Beginning this month, in partnership with MBBConsulng Group, UFI gives individuals from our member companies the possibility to join the Exhibion Think Tank Club (ETTC) free of charge as a new member benefit. The ETTC is a global eplaorm for the exhibion industry whose members network, debate and work together to keep the industry moving forward. Every industry professional in the club can change the way our industry develops, by taking part in the think tanks and other projects. You can find and connect to colleagues beyond your own work environment, and as well share insights and experiences.

For our future success, it is vital that this industry remains aracve, provides the career opportunies and the environment for innovaon that will lead us through this and future crises.

THAIFEX – Anuga Asia 2020 Successfully Concludes

One of the first internaonal trade exhibions to open in Asia as Thailand recovers from COVID-19; THAIFEX – Anuga Asia successfully aracted the F&B industry who gathered to network, exchange valuable insights and explore potenal collaboraons. Amidst the challenging business climate, THAIFEX – Anuga Asia aracted an impressive turnout of 797 exhibitors and 21,104 trade visitors at IMPACT Muang Thong Thani, testament to the trade show's value to the F&B industry.

Apart from a strong showing from the local community, internaonal businesses from countries like Brazil, Indonesia, Italy, Korea, Norway, Poland and USA parcipated through their local representave offices.

The show took place from 22 – 26

September 2020 at Challenger 1-3,

IMPACT Muang Thong Thani. With a proven track record bolstered by the excing collaboraon of two reputable brands - THAIFEX and Anuga – this was the first edion of the jointly named THAIFEX – Anuga Asia and was a resounding success, and business networking and market exposure connue to be the main focus points of the show.

Laurent Pousse, General Manager, Internaonal Sourcing Department (Fresh & Grocery), Group Supermarket & Food Development, The Mall Group Company Limited : “We really want to show our appreciaon to THAIFEX – Anuga Asia for being one of the first F&B trade shows to take place aer COVID-19. F&B is a key industry and extending our network of sourcing partners is essenal, so in a year with so many ups and downs, and serious unpredictability in business outlook, an event like THAIFEX – Anuga Asia with both physical and virtual. The trade show this year included both online and offline elements with virtual opons made available for selected event highlights. This successful adaptaon allowed THAIFEX – Anuga Asia to provide event parcipants with a similar variety and quality of acvies while not compromising on safety and security.

With stringent safety measures put in place at THAIFEX – Anuga Asia, the physical event was equally excing and having a variety of different supporng programmes meant that parcipants enjoyed a holisc experience. DITP's offline product showcase, Eat Responsibly, also engaged those interested in learning about the latest trends in modern food consumpon. THAIFEX – Anuga Asia is also well-known for discovering and highlighng the most innovave food products, and this year was no different.

From plant-based meat to protein powder made from insects, the THAIFEXAnuga Taste Innovaon Show uncovered creave items, aracng interest from many major buyers.

Horflorexpo IPM Shanghai 2021 Will Be Launched On Schedule

Trdhe 23 Horflorexpo IPM Shanghai, hosted by Shanghai Intex Exhibion internaonal and domesc business possibilies and trade cooperaon for hospitality facilies jump 83 percent and 71 percent, respecvely, from Oct 1 to 3 Co., Ltd., will be launched from 15 to 17 exhibitors. compared with the May Day holiday, April 2021 in Shanghai as scheduled. Through over 22 years' development, Horflorexpo IPM Shanghai has been well known as the presgious flagship show of floriculture & horculture industry in Asia. In 2019, the show has welcomed 52,362 visitors on site, gathered with almost 900 exhibitors from 30 countries and regions from the globe. Chinese consumpon is recovering gradually from the pandemic and COVIDrelated closure. According to the latest report from China Daily, the prolonged holiday that ended 8 October gave domesc consumpon fresh impetus, with spending bouncing back to new heights as coronavirus-imposed impacts on the economy are on course to be according to WeChat Pay, the mobile wallet of messaging app WeChat, which has over 1 billion users. While consumpons are booming, garden horcultural and flower consumpons are also recovering rapidly. A barometer of China's floral industry, the largest freshly cut flower market in Asia has regained its hustle and bustle as the Horflorexpo IPM Shanghai 2021 will further curtailed. The eight-day hybrid COVID-19 pandemic is brought under undoubtedly further subdivide the vacaon, combining the Naonal Day and control. Compared with Valenne's Day in exhibion categories, enhance the on-site Mid-Autumn Fesval holidays, was early 2020, The Qi Xi Fesval has experience and interacon, combine all treated the combined holidays as a aracted a larger number of flower aspects of flowers, horculture, substute for Spring Fesval. It saw orders from domesc guests. gardening and life style, and provide both expenditures at tourist sites and