The annual UFI Asia-Pacific Conference in Macau, held earlier this month from March 7-8, saw a turnout of around 300 delegates from 20 countries.
The conference took place at The Parisian Macao and was hosted by the Macau Fair & Trade Association. It was also co-located with the first-ever Event Directors Summit held in Asia. Launched in Europe in 2023, this invitation-only summit connects show and portfolio directors across borders to discuss common challenges.
“This was our first time bringing this event to Macau since 2008. Both Macau and its MICE industry have grown remarkably since then. This year’s conference was particularly successful in bringing together UFI members and industry leaders from around the region, including approximately 150 from Greater China. A key theme explored in Macau was the emerging importance of the Greater Bay Area (GBA) and growth opportunities for our industry in this region,” commented Mark Cochrane, UFI Asia-Pacific regional director.
Over two days, speakers covered key issues such as the rise of artificial intelligence and its expected impact on exhibitions, the importance of implementing sustainable best practices, the evolution of event formats and the opportunities emerging in China’s GBA which includes cities such as Hong Kong, Macau, Shenzhen and Guangzhou.
All sessions are available to UFI members and conference participants as on-demand videos.
Alongside the conference, UFI held numerous association meetings, including the Asia-Pacific chapter meeting and a session of the Associations Committee. UFI management also hosted a student delegation from Macau’s City University.
In 2025, the UFI Asia-Pacific Conference will take place in Melbourne from February 13-14, hosted by the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.
