Industry News

Cologne-Paris, April 2021: Sonia Thomas, ex-Chief Operations Officer of UFI, the Global
Association of the Exhibition Industry, will join jwc GmbH as senior consultant.

Sonia, who has been part of the UFI team between 2006 and 2021, will join jwc GmbH, led by
UFI past President Jochen Witt, from 1st May 2021 onwards.

jwc is a leading consulting firm for the global exhibition and conference industry with offices in
Cologne, Germany, Hong Kong and Shenzhen, China. Jochen Witt, previously President & CEO
of Koelnmesse, founded the organization in 2008, an organization that is based on four core
values: partnership (working with, not for clients), excellence (in terms of quality, professionalism,
and responsiveness), client success (customer centricity, focus on client needs) and value
creation (tangible, concrete results).

Jochen, President and CEO of jwc, comments: “We are extremely happy to welcome Sonia as
our new team member. It is of highest importance for our organization to work with people who
have the right fit in personality, professionalism and industry know-how. Sonia brings all of this
and much more to our team.

Sonia Thomas is delighted at being part of jwc: “I had the pleasure of working closely with Jochen
when he was UFI President in 2007: We share the same values and work ethic. I have also had
the pleasure of working with Gerd Weber and Jimé Essink, the other two members of the jwc
Board. I am delighted to remain part of this great industry – the exhibition industry – and will use
my know-how and extended experience for the benefit of our jwc clients. Our industry is on the
eve of recovery, and there is much to do to assist our clients as they embark on the road to a new
form of normality”.

Sonia Thomas has the equivalent of a master’s degree in team coaching (and is also certified in
executive coaching), and an honours degree in hospitality management. She is also a part-time
teacher at the renowned Dauphine University in Paris, and a team coach for the Master’s in
Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the HEC Business School in Paris.

You can reach Jochen by mail: jwitt@jwc.eu.com; or tel.: +49 221 27 25 89 60
You can reach Sonia by mail: sthomas@jwc.eu.com; or tel.: +33 769 87 37 70

GED 2021 celebrates the safe return of exhibitions and their role in accelerating economic recovery

Everyone associated with the global exhibition industry is encouraged to recognise the day

Paris – 9 March 2021: Global Exhibitions Day (GED) recognises the important role that trade exhibitions play in driving economies throughout the world. The COVID-19 pandemic has had significantly detrimental, and potentially lasting, effects on the global economy, across nearly all business sectors and regions. Exhibitions have traditionally played a role in bolstering and growing economic sectors, but this year they will play a new role – rebuilding and recovering communities.

The 2021 GED campaign will focus on just how instrumental exhibitions are in creating platforms for growth and recovery, while also instilling confidence in others to participate in organised events that prioritise safety and success in equal measure.

While the event is hosted by the global association of the exhibition industry, UFI, all members of the sector are encouraged to join the GED celebrations on 2 June by recognising the impact of exhibitions on local economies – both in building businesses and connecting people all around the world.

Anbu Varathan, UFI President says: “Now in its sixth year, GED is a perfect opportunity to celebrate the exhibition industry and raise the sector’s profile as one of the most vital contributors to economic recovery. Let’s celebrate Global Exhibitions Day together on 2 June 2021!”

From videos to meetings with policy makers, webinars to hybrid events, webcasts to social campaigns, virtual running parties, and more, UFI would like to invite all event industry professionals and enthusiasts to get ready for and get involved in the many different events that will be taking place around the world – and help make GED2021 the best Global Exhibitions Day yet!

How to contribute to this year’s GED, and become part of a dynamic global community:

• Regularly visit www.globalexhibitionsday.org for updates and developments
• Join a local GED2021 initiative or be inspired to set up your own
• Follow GED2021 on social media via Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, WeChat and LinkedIn
• Encourage peers and colleagues to participate

As in previous years, GED partners have been collaborating on this important day of advocacy for the exhibitions industry, and UFI will soon share the results of this ongoing collaboration on the GED2021 website.

For more information and regular updates, visit www.globalexhibitionsday.org

List of #GED2021 partner associations under the UFI umbrella:

AAXO, AEFI, AEO, AFE, AFECA, AFIDA, AMPROFEC, AOCA, AUMA, CAEM, CEFA, CENTREX, CFI, EEAA, EEIA, EFU, EMECA, EXSA, FAIRLINK, FAMAB, HKECIA, ECA, IDFA, IECA, IEIA, IELA, IFES, LECA, MACEOS, MFTA, PCEI, RUEF, SACEOS/SECB, SCEIA, SISO, TEA, TECA, TFOA, UBRAFE and UNIMEV.

Attachments:

-GED2021 logo with date

-GED2021 logo with hashtag

About UFI – The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry: UFI is the global trade association of the world’s tradeshow organisers and exhibition centre operators, as well as the major national and international exhibition associations, and selected partners of the exhibition industry. UFI’s main goal is to represent, promote and support the business interests of its members and the exhibition industry. UFI directly represents more than 50,000 exhibition industry employees globally, and also works closely with its 60 national and regional association members. More than 800 member organisations in 83 countries around the world are presently signed up as members. Around 1,000 international trade fairs proudly bear the UFI approved label, a quality guarantee for visitors and exhibitors alike. UFI members continue to provide the international business community with a unique marketing media aimed at developing outstanding face-to-face business opportunities. For more information, please contact: UFI Headquarters: Email: media@ufi.org Tel: +33 (0)1 46 39 75 00 or www.ufi.org

Despite the gloomy prospect of continued restrictions on the events industry into 2021; the respite offered by the impending vaccination drive and, ahead of that, the potential to safely open events using a WHO-approved rapid-testing access system, has strengthened the resolve of many events companies which continue to search for innovative ways to trade in a very bleak landscape.

The events sector’s supply chain of people, businesses, organisations and associations is a key driver of the local economy through business meetings, conferences, confexes, trade shows, exhibitions and events. The massive economic disruption resulting from the loss or postponement of these events has set our industry back by decades.

Events are recognised as an integral part of business facilitation for the Agricultural and Manufacturing sectors, amongst others, through professional events like Electra Mining and Nampo. The Tourism and Hospitality industries are fuelled by the likes of Meetings Africa and the Tourism Indaba, as well as a wide range of Sports events. Yet our current capacity restrictions and the stigma of events as “dangerous gatherings” have removed the event platforms which effectively connect buyers and suppliers to generate business. The effect on our business partners and clients has been to dramatically slow their ability to revive the economy.

In March and April, in the Western Cape alone, the Cape Town International Jazz Festival traditionally contributes around R700million to the economy through tourism and hospitality sector spend while creating some 2000 temporary jobs for locals. Likewise In the sporting world, the Cape Town Cycle Tour, the Absa Cape Epic and The Two Oceans Marathon boost the economy to the tune of more than R1.5 billion per annum. Professional events are recognised as essential to economic recovery and business growth across a wide spectrum of industries, yet we are restricted to an unsustainable capacity during the COVID-19 pandemic. So how do we continue to assist our clients and contribute to the country’s recovery?

The Events industry’s reputation for resilience, forward-planning and innovation is well-earned. Building on the success of the Event Reopening Guidelines the industry put in place in 2020 to mitigate risk; Recharge 2020 in December proved that events CAN reopen safely using the latest developments in rapid COVID-19 testing. Secure Health Passport Europe mobile technology and antigen testing combined with the rigorous event safety protocols already in play, ensure that the event space is a safer environment than our supermarkets, malls or parks. Just imagine the consumer confidence generated by attending an event knowing that everyone around you has tested negative for COVID-19! Ironically, organised events might, in fact, become THE safe space in which to unlock the route to market and resume business,

There is work to be done and we are calling on policy-makers and government to collaborate with the events industry to make these solutions workable on a much larger scale. Our Industry is ready and waiting and extremely well-prepared to resume safely and responsibly.

ISSUED ON BEHALF OF SA EVENTS COUNCIL

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:

Robyn D’Alessandro

Cell: +27 (0) 67 684 3376

Email: hello@saeventscouncil.org

Website: www.saeventscouncil.org

UFI, the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, has released the latest edition of its flagship Global Barometer research, which takes the pulse of the industry.

Results highlight the severe impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the exhibition industry worldwide, in2020. There are also positive signs regarding a quick recovery in 2021.

Globally, between April and August 2020, more than half of all companies reported no activity. This
situation changed from September, where the majority of companies declared some operations, at
reduced levels for most. Looking ahead to 2021, the share of companies expecting a return to “normal”
activity is expected to grow from 10% in January to 37% in June.

These results vary depending on region, and are primarily driven by the “re-opening date” of
exhibitions. In all regions, most companies expect both local and national exhibitions to re-open by the end of June 2021, with international exhibitions resuming in the second half of the year. Company
operations also include, while face-to-face events are not possible, working into the development of
digital solutions.

When asked what element would most help with the “bounce back” of exhibitions, the majority of
companies, ranked “readiness of exhibiting companies and visitors to participate again” (64%), “lift of
current travel restrictions” (63%) and “lift of current public policies that apply locally to exhibitions” (52%) as key factors.

Overall:
– 44% of companies benefitted from some level of public financial support; for the majority this related to less than 10% of their overall 2019 costs.
– 54% of companies had to reduce their workforce, with half of these by more than 25%.
– 10% of companies will have to consider permanently ceasing operations if there are no events for the
next six months.

As expected, the “impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the business” is considered the most importantbusiness issue (stated by 29% of companies, a 2% increase on six months ago). The “impact of digitalisation” (11%) and “competition with other media” (7%) have also increased (+1% and +2%
respectively), while the “state of the economy in the home market” (19%) and “global economic
developments” (16%) have decreased, but remain amongst the top three concerns.

In terms of future exhibition formats, global results indicate that 64% (compared to 57% six months
ago) are confident that “COVID-19 confirms the value of face-to-face events”, indicating an expectation that the sector will bounce back quickly.

“The message from the global industry is clear: quite simply, 2020 was horrible. The pandemic stopped most activities around the world for several months, and, globally, our industry’s revenue dropped by almost three quarters. But, as the Global Barometer shows, 2021 should see a significant bounce back, with global revenues expected to double, pending markets re-opening and clarity on regulations.

We will ‘build back’ even better, and while the industry will remain, primarily, a face-to-face marketing channel, digital offers will evolve with new patterns,” says Kai Hattendorf, UFI Managing Director and CEO.

Size and scope
This latest edition of UFI’s bi-annual industry survey was concluded in December 2020, and includes
data from 457 companies in 64 countries and regions.

The study also includes outlooks and analysis for 24 countries and regions – Argentina, Australia,
Brazil, China, Colombia, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru,
Russia, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Thailand, Turkey, the UAE, the UK and the US
– as well as an additional five aggregated regional zones.
“We sincerely thank all companies who took part in this study. The results from 29 markets and regions provide strong insights for assessing both the impact of the crisis and future perspectives. We also welcome AFEP and UNIMEV, who partnered with us for this edition, resulting in our first ever specific country profiles for Peru and France,” says Christian Druart, UFI Research Manager.

Operations since 2020 – reopening exhibitions

Results show that the periods when most companies reported “no activity” in 2020 were limited to
March-June for the Asia-Pacific region, April-June for North America, and April-September for Central and South America and the Middle East and Africa. In Europe, there was an initial period of inactivity in April-August, followed by another period in November-December.

Turnover – operating profits
Regional results indicate that:
– The revenue drop for 2020 was the highest for companies in Central and South America and the
Middle East and Africa (who respectively only achieved 23% and 24% of 2019 revenue levels).
Companies in the Asia-Pacific region (27% of 2019 levels), Europe (32% of 2019 levels) and North
America (36% of 2019 levels) are at or above global averages. The 2021 perspectives are rather similar
for all regions: who are expecting to achieve between 32% and 37% of last year’s revenue for H1-
2021, and between 55% and 60% for all of 2021.
– In terms of profits, the share of companies who faced a loss for 2020 varies from 47% in the AsiaPacific region and Europe, to 50% in North America, 58% in the Middle East and Africa, and 64% in Central and South America.

Public financial support – workforce and perspectives
Regional results indicate that:
– The number of companies receiving public financial support is higher in Europe (54% of companies)
and the Asia-Pacific region (53%), than in Central and South America (35%), North America (31%) and the Middle East and Africa (13%).
– The share of companies forced to reduce their workforce is higher in the Middle East and Africa (73%
of companies), North America (61%) and Central and South America (56%), than in Europe (52%) and
the Asia-Pacific region (49%).
– The proportion of companies believing they will need to close if business doesn’t resume within the
next six months varies from 5% in North America, to 6% in the Asia-Pacific region, 10% in Central and
South America, 14% in Europe and 17% in the Middle East and Africa, while the proportion of
companies who believe they will cope ranges from 26% in Europe to 40% in the Asia-Pacific region.

Key business issues
While the “impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the business” is the key business issue across all
regions, “global economic developments” are ranked higher in the Middle East and Africa (23% of
companies) than in other regions. The “impact of digitisation” is ranked higher in North America (15%) and Europe (14%) than other regions.
Further insight by type of activity, for three main segments – organisers, venues and service providers
– highlights a difference in the fourth most important issue, with organisers indicating “impact of
digitisation”, venues indicating “internal challenges” and service providers indicating
“regulatory/stakeholders’ issues”.

Future exhibition formats
The report also highlights two significant regional differences in relation to possible trends driving the
future format of exhibitions:
– The claim “COVID-19 confirms the value of face-to-face events” was more widely agreed with in the
Middle East and Africa (70% of companies), the Asia-Pacific region (69%) and Europe (67%), than in
North America (55%) and Central and South America (53%).
– While, there were stronger opposing views for the claim “virtual events replacing physical events”,
with 74% of companies in Europe disagreeing, compared to just 57% of companies from North
America.

Background
The 26th Global Barometer survey, conducted in December 2020, provides insights from 457
companies in 64 countries and regions. It was conducted in collaboration with 20 UFI Member
Associations: AAXO (The Association of African Exhibition Organisers) and EXSA (Exhibition and
Event Association of Southern Africa) in South Africa, AEO (Association of Event Organisers) in the
UK, AFE (Spanish Trade Fairs Association) in Spain, AFEP (Asociación de Ferias del Perú) in Peru,
AFIDA (Asociación Internacional de Ferias de América) representing Central and South America, AKEI
(Association of Korean Exhibition Industry) in South Korea, AMPROFEC (Asociación Mexicana de
Profesionales en Ferias, Exposiciones, Congresos y Convenciones) in Mexico, EEAA (Exhibition &
Event Association of Australasia) in Australia, IECA (Indonesia Exhibition Companies Association) in
Indonesia, IEIA (Indian Exhibition Industry Association) in India, JEXA (Japan Exhibition Association)
in Japan, MACEOS (Malaysian Association of Convention and Exhibition Organisers and Suppliers),
in Malaysia, MFTA (Macau Fair & Trade Association) in Macau, RUEF (Russian Union of Exhibitions
and Fairs) in Russia, SECB (Singapore Exhibition & Convention Bureau) in Singapore, SISO (Society
of Independent Show Organizers) in the US, TEA (Thai Exhibition Association) in Thailand, UBRAFE
(União Brasileira dos Promotores Feiras) in Brazil and UNIMEV (French Meeting Industry Council) in France.
In line with UFI’s objective to provide vital data and best practices to the entire exhibition industry, the full results can be downloaded at www.ufi.org/research
The next UFI Global Barometer survey will be conducted in June 2021.
Attachments:
– Cover of the 26th edition of the UFI Global Barometer report
– “Revenue developments in 2020 and 2021” infographic

Irish Technology deployed in South Africa as part of International Music Events re-opening

Irish-based Health Passport Europe has partnered with Big Concerts and The Entertainment Group to safely re-open the events industry in South Africa, using latest developments in rapid COVID-19 testing and the secure Health Passport Europe mobile technology.

The live event RECHARGE 2020 took place on December 21st in Cape Town, South Africa, at the Grand Café & Beach venue, with multiple live acts and DJs. The event passed off safely to represent an important stepping-stone towards a wider reopening of live events in 2021.

The platform, which efficiently supports COVID-19 vaccinations and testing, is set to be deployed at events in Italy and Portugal, where the system can be used to safely re-open the tourist sector.

How Health Passport Europe Works

Ahead of the RECHARGE 2020 event, all attendees including staff were required to download and set up the Health Passport Europe mobile app for free. On the day of the event, everyone was tested for COVID-19 before entering, using latest rapid antigen tests that are already validated for use in South Africa.

All staff, performers and guests were tested before the event. Multiple positive detections were successfully made during pre-testing. Anyone who tested positive was not permitted onto the event site but was given professional medical advice.

Within 20 minutes of testing, the results are updated privately and securely to the person’s Health Passport Europe app. At entry, security staff were able to quickly scan the person’s ticket and the person’s Health Passport Europe app, and only those with a negative COVID-19 test were allowed into the venue, ensuring the lowest levels of transmission risk for all. COVID-19 health guidelines were also followed by all within the event site.

People who presented for pre-testing who had COVID-19 symptoms were not tested but instead advised to follow national health guidelines.

Justin Van Wyk, CEO of Big Concerts said: “This was an important moment for the events industry which has been devastated by the pandemic. Using the Health Passport Europe platform allowed this event to proceed with the highest levels of risk mitigation, demonstrating the way forward for live events globally. The system allowed us to offer pre- and post-event testing for maximum reassurance, protecting attendees, performers and everyone connected with the event.”

Robert Quirke, founder of Health Passport Europe, said: “Our team is excited and humbled to have worked on this project for Cape Town and to have contributed to the safe reopening of international entertainment and tourism. The secure technology is engineered to work with all official COVID-19 tests and vaccinations. Many thousands of people are already using the mobile system and it is helping industries to return.”

The Health Passport Europe platform has been adopted by many leading medical and pharmacy organisations that are providing COVID-19 testing services. The technology has passed all trials and development, having been extensively tested across a range of industries including healthcare, logistics, hospitality, education, and nursing homes, as well as a trial at Dublin Airport.

The process has already been engineered to safely test over 100,000 people within 10 hours, with the results, travel certificates or vaccination documents immediately uploaded within the person’s app.
The Health Passport Europe system has been engineered as a secure system for people to store and display their official COVID-19 vaccination or test status. It is a common international platform for all industries and the public.

Back in late 2018 SACIA’s Event Safety Council set about the development of two new professional designations for Event Safety Officers. It was a process that involved active engagement with various government and regulatory bodies, as well as local practitioners and industry colleagues from around the world.

The draft designations were published in the Government Gazette on 14 August 2020 and eventually approved by the SAQA Board on 20 November 2020. “This is an exciting time for the events industry in South Africa,” says Kevan Jones, executive director at SACIA. “Whilst legislation and standards reference the role and responsibility of event safety officers, there has not been, until now, any formal recognition of an individual’s competence in this field.”

There are two new professional designations that have been introduced. “We’re starting with the Event Safety Practitioner designation which signifies an individual’s comprehensive knowledge and commitment to safe working practices in the events industry,” explains Mike Lord, interim chair of SACIA’s Event Safety Council, adding that the advanced “Event Safety Professional” designation will be launched during the first quarter of 2021. “A Certified Event Safety Practitioner will have demonstrated their broad understanding of standards, regulations and laws relating to event safety, as well as a comprehensive understanding of the role and responsibility of stakeholders involved in the event chain. Critical is that the Event Safety Practitioner needs to demonstrate their understanding of SASREA, SANS10266: Health and Safety at Events, the Occupational Health and Safety Act, as well as City by-laws encompassing key appointments, site plan approvals, event licencing, event emergency planning, risk assessment and compliance, etc.”

Individuals applying for the Practitioner designation are assessed on their education, work experience and work ethic, and are required to write an online exam as well as provide a Portfolio of Evidence supporting their claim of competence. They’re also required to have an NQF level 4 qualification (such as the National Senior Certificate) and at least two years work experience as an Event Safety Officer, specifically in the events sector.

“The multiple-choice exam tests a broad range of competencies required by individuals working in our sector,” says Lord. “Whilst a comprehensive understanding of standards, regulations and bylaws is key, candidates are also tested on a broader range of competencies they’re likely to experience on an event site. The exam includes questions around event power, temporary structures, bullying and workplace intimidation, gender-based violence, weather, medical requirements, and much more.”

The multiple-choice exam has been compiled by industry experts and members of the Event Safety Council working with the Event Safety Alliance in the United States. “We’ve benchmarked our questions against local and international standards and we’re confident that our assessment is academically robust and aligned with the competencies required by an individual working as an Event Safety Officer,” says Dr. Lisa Welthagen, subject head for Events Management at Tshwane University of Technology and a member of the SABS TC264 committee responsible for the development of the SANS10366 national standard for safety in the events industry, “but knowledge alone is only one part of the assessment. Individuals applying for the designation need to provide a portfolio of evidence supporting their claim of competence. They need to demonstrate that they can apply their knowledge and create a safe environment for performers, technical crew working an event, and of course for patrons attending an event.”

One of the first people to write the exam was Thomas Cameron from the Nelson Mandela Bay Disaster Management office. “This designation is long overdue and certainly separates those individuals who are competent as Event Safety Officers from the many fly-by-night operators claiming a competence they don’t have,” says Cameron. “The exam is difficult, and the assessment standards are high but when you’re dealing with the safety of the public, that’s exactly how it should be. When safety officers get it wrong, people inevitably get hurt.”

What does the introduction of these designations mean to the events industry in South Africa? “During this State of National Disaster, we’ve seen a massive drop off in events, with attendance numbers severely curtailed,” says Jones, “but as vaccines and treatment plans start to become available, it is certain that the events industry will revive itself. The key question being asked by everyone working in national, provincial and local government is how events can be held without spreading the COVID-19 virus, and without posing a risk to the performers, patrons and crew working on an event. The answer is through the enforcement of standards and bylaws. The role and responsibilities of the event safety officer will be under a spotlight so it’s critical we have a mechanism to identify those individuals who are competent to do the job. Going forward I fully expect event organisers and their designated JOC’s will require every event to have designated staff in place to ensure compliance with all health and safety protocols.

Individuals interested in earning the Certified Event Safety Practitioner designation can download the SACIA Member’s Handbook at [see attached] and can register to write the online examination at https://www.classmarker.com/online-test/start/?quiz=rxd6000115be5bd8 .

####

ISSUED ON BEHALF OF SACIA / SA Events Council

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:

Robyn D’Alessandro

Cell: +27 (0) 76 684 3376

Email: rdalessandro@worldonline.co.za

Website: www.sacia.org

Report One – Anatomy of Virtual Events and Financial Outcomes

The Center for Exhibition Industry Research released the first report in a three-part series that will provide hotly sought-after details on virtual events. CEIR’s Global Virtual Event Trends Series examines insights among organizations that traditionally run or manage in-person business-to-business (B2B) exhibitions.

“CEIR is grateful for the generous support from over a dozen organizations that have made this research and benchmarks for the global B2B exhibition industry possible,” says CEIR CEO Cathy Breden (pictured right), CMP, CAE, CEM. “We thank them for enabling us to fulfill our mission of providing the industry with insights based on objective, unbiased research that will help our stakeholders understand and successfully respond to these trends in the midst of the historic pandemic. Through the generous financial support from Swapcard, these reports are available for download from CEIR’s website to the industry at no cost.”

Report One – Anatomy of Virtual Events and Financial Outcomes details extensive baseline data on elements that are typically included in a virtual event, as well as performance outcomes regarding participation and financially.

“COVID-19 has blindsided the B2B exhibition industry worldwide,” notes CEIR Vice President of Research Nancy Drapeau (pictured right), PRC. “While in-person events remain paused in many geographic regions, B2B exhibition organizers have jumped into the virtual event space. Many are doing so for the first time. CEIR’s Research Council saw the need to provide insights to these executives to help them understand how to plan for such events and see how their events compare to fast-evolving industry norms. And so, this study was launched. This report provides the baseline data of what organizers are doing today.”

Swapcard CEO Baptiste Boulard adds, “Swapcard is honored to have sponsored this global study that helps B2B exhibition organizers understand the benefits virtual events offer today and into the future.”

Report One – Anatomy of Virtual Events and Financial Outcomes affirms that most B2B exhibition organizer activity is due to COVID-19. However, results suggest many executives are interested in remaining active into the future.

Organizers say education drives attendance, and this report provides details on what education content is most popularly offered.

Brand marketers primarily aim to achieve two common business objectives. This report details virtual event offerings that are offered to respond to their interests.

Financially, on average, virtual events are small (49 percent generate gross revenues of less than $250,000 USD) and are a fraction of the gross revenues of in-person physical events, where there is an affiliation. However, a surprise result is that net profit is achieved by many virtual event organizers who have reported their gross revenues and out-of-pocket costs.

Report One – Anatomy of Virtual Events and Financial Outcomes consists of 42 pages that provide results on the following topics:

• Extent of virtual event activity today
• Taxonomy for events taking place on the Internet
• Core components of a virtual event
o Most popular content – education, networking and special activities, exhibitor/brand marketer promotions
o Whether charged to attend and how fees compare to affiliated in-person event fees
o Event length by number of days
o General and education session length by number of hours
• Motivation for attending and participating as a brand marketer/exhibitor
• Average virtual booth price compared to standard physical event booth price
• Use of AI to drive engagement
• Metrics to evaluate outcomes for participants
• Outcomes:
o Volume of attendance, exhibitors
o Gross revenues, out-of-pocket costs and net profit margins
• Staffing resources

Methodology
The survey fielded in October 2020. It was multilingual, giving respondents the choice of completing the survey in English, Spanish, Portuguese or Arabic. The sample was generated via the generous participation of multiple organizations globally, which invited qualified members and contacts to participate in this initiative. CEIR is grateful for their generous support that made this research and reports for the global B2B exhibitions industry possible. These organizations include:

• American Society of Association Executives (ASAE)
• Association of African Exhibition Organizers (AAXO)
• Canadian Association of Exposition Management (CAEM)
• 1st Arabia for Tradeshows and Conferences
• Federación de Entidades Organizadoras de Congresos y Afines de América Latina (COCAL)
• Healthcare Convention & Exhibitors Association (HCEA)
• International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE)
• Philippine Association of Convention/Exhibition Organizers and Suppliers Inc. (PACEOS)
• Singapore Association of Convention & Exhibition Organisers & Suppliers (SACEOS)
• Society of Independent Show Organizers (SISO)
• Trade Fair Times, India
• Informa Mexico
• União Brasileira dos Promotores Feiras (UBRAFE)

A total of 463 executives responded to the invitation to participate in the study, of which 346 were qualified to participate and completed the survey. The response rate is seven percent. Total percentage results provide statistically reliable results of plus or minus five percent or better, at the 95 percent interval.

The complete three-part series will be published over the course of the next several months and will include:
• Report One – Anatomy of Virtual Events and Financial Outcomes
• Report Two – Lessons Learned To-date and Technologies Used
• Report Three – Case Study Examples

CEIR’s Global Virtual Events Trends Series is available from the CEIR website at no cost due to the generous financial support by Swapcard. Click here to download Report One – Anatomy of Virtual Events and Financial Outcomes.

The Center for Exhibition Industry Research serves to advance the growth, awareness and value of exhibitions and other face-to-face marketing events by producing and delivering knowledge-based research tools that enable stakeholder organizations to enhance their ability to meet current and emerging customer needs, improve their business performance and strengthen their competitive position. For more info, visit www.ceir.org.