On 5 June 2025, representatives from a wide range of UFI member associations — including AEO, AFE, AUMA, EMECA, MACEOS, IELA, IFES, IT-EX, SISO, TEA, TFYD, and UBRAFE — convened in Thessaloniki, Greece, as part of the UFI European Events Week for the latest UFI Associations Committee meeting.
The session was opened by Associations Committee Chair Jörn Holtmeier of AUMA, who warmly welcomed participants. Special recognition was given to Anna Golden, newly appointed CEO of AEO (UK), and Joon How Loy, who was recently named President of TEA (Thailand).
UFI shared updates across its core focus areas of education, research, and advocacy, and reminded members to engage with their National Standards Body ahead of the upcoming ISO Technical Committee on Events ballot, which closes on 25 June 2025.
A key feature of the meeting was a presentation by AEO (UK), showcasing key findings from its Size and Scale Index for Exhibitions (SASIE) 2024 Report, which highlighted significant trends shaping the exhibition sector.
The popular Tour de Table session encouraged participants to share their top advocacy priority. A recurring theme was engagement with governments to raise awareness of the exhibition industry’s value, influence supportive legislation, and secure funding for education and sustainability programs. Several noteworthy case studies were discussed, including:
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AUMA’s quarterly political briefs to German policymakers,
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ECA’s Legislative Action Day in Washington DC, and
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Türkiye’s government-backed subsidy program supporting Turkish companies to exhibit globally and encouraging participation in UFI membership and certification.
Looking ahead, the next in-person UFI Associations Committee meeting is scheduled to take place in Hong Kong during the UFI Global Congress on Wednesday 19 November 2025.
Members look forward to continuing the momentum and strengthening advocacy efforts across the global exhibitions landscape.
