• Largest regional event in UFI’s history gathers around 400 industry leaders from 37 countries

• Event hosted by TIF-HELEXPO in Thessaloniki, Greece

• Marked the 100-year anniversary of both UFI and TIF-HELEXPO

UFI European Events Week brought a record number of delegates to Thessaloniki, Greece, from 3 to 7 June 2025. Hosted by TIF-HELEXPO, around 400 industry leaders from 37 countries gathered for an insightful week of learning, networking, and memorable experiences.

Dr. Kyriakos Pozrikidis, CEO of TIF-HELEXPO, commented: “Thessaloniki didn’t just host the UFI European Events Week 2025 — it energized it. With around 400 participants, the city became a live stage for bold ideas, future-thinking dialogue, and powerful networking moments. From buzzing panels to spontaneous hallway conversations, every corner of the event pulsed with energy and purpose.

The week was marked by two major milestones — the General Assemblies of CEFA and SOKEE — anchoring Thessaloniki’s role as not just a participant, but a driving force in the exhibition and conference industry of Southeast Europe.

This wasn’t just another gathering. It was a strong statement: Thessaloniki is rising as a vital hub for innovation, collaboration, and the next chapter of our industry.”

Nick Dugdale-Moore, UFI Regional Director of Europe, added: “What an incredible few days in the beautiful city of Thessaloniki. Together with our friends from SOKEE and CEFA, we managed to bring around 400 delegates together last week.

The conversations that took place both onstage and throughout the week, conducted in a spirit of collaboration and sharing, will help keep improving standards and open new opportunities for our businesses.

UFI is a family, strengthened by the friendships and connections we make when we meet in person. My sincere thanks to the TIF-HELEXPO and UFI teams who delivered a professional and memorable event – a fitting tribute to honour the 100-year legacy of both our organisations.”

Political support

The event received widespread political support, including a powerful message of support from the EU Commissioner for Sustainable Transport & Tourism Apostolos Tzitzikostas. The Deputy Minister of the Interior & Minister of Macedonia-Thrace, Konstantinos Gioulekas, and the Mayor of Thessaloniki also joined the event in person.

Special 100-year celebration for TIF-HELEXPO and UFI

The event marked the 100-year anniversaries of both UFI & TIF-HELEXPO. UFI launched the first part of their exhibition with archived content and artefacts from 1925 to 1999. The full exhibition will be on display 19-22 November at the Global Congress in Hong Kong SAR. UFI also honoured their founding members who were in attendance. TIFHELEXPO organised a memorable evening, hosted by the Minister of Macedonia-Thrace, which featured a drone display which required the closing of Thessaloniki Airport.

Latest content & new formats

The topics under discussion include trade tarics / geopolitical issues, strategy, digital, sustainability, talent/DEI, exhibitor ROI, new venue concepts, and a deep dive into the US market in a SISO-led workshop. The content was delivered in multiple formats, including mainstage, 3-hour workshops, breakouts, and the new Bate-Papo Corner. All UFI members have access to session recordings, speaker presentations, AI summaries, and photos now.

First UFI event to receive ISO20121 certification

TIF-HELEXPO underwent the ISO20121 certification process for this event, meaning that this event was the first UFI event to receive this international certification for sustainable event management. The Certificate was presented onstage to Dr. Kyriakos Pozrikidis by Mrs Maria Chachali from the Bureau Veritas, Athens.

New research on exhibitor satisfaction & sentiment

“2025 Channel Insights” -the latest report from UFI Research Partner Explori – which is supported by SISO – was presented by Explori CEO Mark Brewster onstage in Thessaloniki. The report is available exclusively to UFI & SISO members currently, and will be released to the public soon.

Launch of “Better Stands by NZCE” initiative with cross-industry support

Better Stands by NZCE is a project designed to drive the transition from single-use to reusable exhibition stands. Initiated by Informa and piloted for two years with a collection of organisers, it was launched to the global exhibition industry onstage in Thessaloniki. It is hosted by Net Zero Carbon Events (NZCE) and supported by the International Federation of Exhibition & Event Services (IFES).

50 Event Directors have Ignition

Exhibition & Portfolio Directors from 30 organisations across Europe joined for a special 2-part workshop, created & delivered by Global President MCI Oscar Cerezales, with contributions from CEO RX Global Hugh Jones and CEO dmg events Geoc Dickinson. This is the third edition of the Event Director Summit in Europe, which has also taken place in Asia.

Global Exhibitions Day celebrated around the world (and in Thessaloniki)

The tenth edition of Global Exhibitions Day (GED) took place on 4 June 2025 and reached audiences in over 100 countries and markets, with the theme “Exhibitions Unleash Potential”. Examples of the activations which took place in Thessaloniki and all around the world can be found at www.globalexhibitionsday.org.

Join the conversations at upcoming events

UFI organises annual events around the world for members and non-members. Our next event is the members-only 100th anniversary UFI Global Congress, which will be held from 19 to 22 November 2025 in Hong Kong SAR.

The 2026 Europe event will be held from 3-5 June in Izmir, Turkey, hosted by IZFAS.

For more information about UFI’s upcoming events, visit: www.ufi.org/our-events.