The leaders of the exhibition industry of Central Europe at the Thessaloniki International Exhibition Centre

Thessaloniki and its International Exhibition Centre were chosen by the Central European Fair Alliance (CEFA) to hold its annual general meeting on 21 June 2024. This important event, which will be hosted by TIF-HELEXPO, will bring together leaders and important players of the exhibition sector in Thessaloniki, who will discuss issues that concern and impact the exhibition industry.

The meeting of the CEFA members will begin with an official welcome dinner on the evening of 20 June, followed by a full day of meetings on June 21.

The general meeting has a full agenda. It includes information on CEFA activities, with reference to its key initiatives, achievements, and future plans, the election of its new president, a fiscal review with an examination of last year’s budget, and an overview of the upcoming budget to ensure fiscal transparency and accountability, as well as discussion aimed at promoting partnerships and the expansion of its network. Furthermore, during the general meeting a market report by CEFA will be presented, with vital data to be used for informed decision-making and adapting to market changes, while the strategic planning of the Alliance and its future direction will be discussed in an open dialogue. Lastly, responsible and sustainable practices in the exhibition sector will be discussed, focusing on ESG criteria.

The decision to hold the CEFA general assembly in Thessaloniki was unanimous and was taken during the previous general assembly in Novi Sad. The Thessaloniki International Exhibition Centre has hosted the CEFA General Assembly once before, in June 2016. This choice highlights the importance of TIF-HELEXPO, as well as the internationally recognised exhibition character of Thessaloniki, while it is a continuation of the company’s intense activity in international networking.

CEFA, which TIF- HELEXPO has been a member of since 2013, is an important network of fair organisers from Central and South-eastern Europe. It was founded in 1995 to promote the region into a powerful gateway for exhibitions of international significance, that would exceed the physical borders of its members. CEFA’s mission is to help its members provide enterprises with high-quality access to the developing markets of Central and Southeastern Europe.

20/06/2024 – 10:49

The decision was announced today during the works of this year’s International Conference of UFI in Zurich

TIF-HELEXPO has secured the hosting of the European Conference of the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry-UFI in Thessaloniki on 4 to 6 June 2025. This development is a major success for the exhibition organisation and the city. In fact, UFI will organise a European Event Week for the first time during that period, with events for the international exhibition industry, which will include the European Conference.

The decision of the UFI to choose Thessaloniki for this important event was announced today, at this year’s European Conference in Zurich, and it is a vote of confidence by the leading exhibition association for TIF-HELEXPO. It marks the return of major exhibition organisations to Thessaloniki and, in fact, coincides with the 100th anniversary since the establishment of TIF-HELEXPO (1925-2025). UFI was founded the same year as TIF-HELEXPO, 1925, while it started its international journey with its first founding members, 20 European international trade fairs. Thus, this is an excellent opportunity to start the events for the centenary of the establishment of the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry in Thessaloniki.

Thessaloniki’s nomination, which was accepted unanimously and with great enthusiasm, was presented in Zurich by the CEO of TIF-HELEXPO, Dr Kyriakos Pozrikidis, who is a member of the board of the UFI.

TIF-HELEXPO — which has invested in its international networking, actively participating in the institutions of the international exhibition community — has been a member of the

UFI since 1927, with Thessaloniki having hosted similar events of the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry in 1958, 1972, and 2008.

The mission of the UFI — which has 865 members in 88 countries around the world — is to represent, promote, and support the business interests of its members and the exhibition industry internationally.

13/06/2024 – 15:32