MICE industry needs digital strategy to drive growth

Expo Centre CEO attends prestigious UFI CEO Summit in London

Sharjah, 3 Feb 2015 - The need for a digital strategy dominated the proceedings at the most prestigious and largest networking event for CEOs of the global exhibitions industry held in London recently.

Speaking to media after attending the Global CEO Summit organised jointly by UFI and tfconnect, Mr. Saif Mohammed Al Midfa, CEO, Expo Centre Sharjah, said a digital strategy is now considered as a core growth opportunity for the exhibitions industry.

An effective digital strategy and digital marketing can ensure better growth prospects for the GCC’s US$1.3 billion meetings and exhibitions industry, he said. While addressing the increasing requirements of customers for digital solutions and services, the digital infrastructure and technology will also result in reducing costs and improving processes, he added.

Organised from January 28 to 30, 2015, the Global CEO Summit saw the participation of more than 130 CEOs or those of equivalent positions from across the world.

“The summit was the ideal platform for exhibitions industry CEOs to discuss and debate new challenges facing the industry and how to harness them to our benefit. Digital invasion can be seen as a threat or an opportunity – the outcome will depend on how well you are prepared for it,” said Mr. Midfa.

To illustrate how a digital strategy can boost growth, the summit reviewed a technology conference in Dublin that grew from 400 attendees to 22,000 in just four years from more than 100 countries.

CEOs from different parts of the world were also told how B2B events can effectively harness the power of social media to drive attendance and generate revenue. Delegates were also given a fresh perspective on how they should maximise the value of data we have.

UFI is the association of the world’s leading tradeshow organisers and fairground owners, major national and international associations of the exhibition industry and its partners. The UFI’s Middle East/Africa regional Office is based in Sharjah at Expo Centre Sharjah.

This was the second summit after the UFI CEO Forum and events consultancy tfconnect’s Global Event Summit (GES) decided to merge, combining the best attributes of the two individual events.