17 per cent growth forecast

At the 91st UFI Global Congress, the international trade fair industry will gather at Koelnmesse's Confex to discuss current challenges facing the trade fair industry and set the course for the future of the global event and networking industry. Trade fair companies around the world have made a strong comeback since the end of the global coronavirus pandemic: UFI is forecasting record sales for 2024 and further growth for the global trade fair industry of 17 per cent on average compared to the previous year.

According to a recent analysis by UFI and the consulting firm Oxford Economics, trade fair participants at and around trade fairs recently generated sales totalling more than 792 bn euros (885 bn dollars). According to the study, the industry directly and indirectly secures around 3.4 mio jobs worldwide.

For four days from 20 to 23 November, around 550 leading figures from the industry will be exchanging ideas at the UFI World Congress. “This year's congress motto ‘Changes to Chances’ could hardly be more fitting,” said Gerald Böse, CEO of host Koelnmesse GmbH, at the opening press conference on 19 November. “It emphasises how profoundly changes and opportunities are connected and how crucial it is to approach both with an open mind.”