Another great year for exhibitions in Central Europe

Written by Ildikó Molnár

CENTREX International Exhibitions Statistics Union, the top exhibition industry organisation in Central Eastern Europe promoting trade fairs’ transparency, reliability and market value of exhibition statistics and of organising exhibition collaborations in the region has held its annual General Assembly on April 8th, 2016. 

This meeting in Poznan, Poland has been an outstanding occasion to review market situation and developments in the region. CENTREX, the non-profit transparency platform of Central European exhibition organisers was proud to present its 19th review of audited exhibition statistics based on jointly implemented international industry standards. 

CENTREX 2015 Central East European Exhibition Statistics Yearbook contains audited exhibition data on 287 trade fairs organized in 26 cities, from Bucharest to Kielce, by 30 trade fair companies – 12 members of CENTREX, members of the Polish Chamber of Exhibition Industry and guests organisers, Novi Sad Fair and Murator Expo – have hosted over 2.5 million visitors, and 42,000 exhibitors have used nearly 1.5 million sq.m. exhibition space to attract the attention of these visitors. The yearbook is freely downloadable at: www.centrexstat.org and the data will be later also included into the UFI EuroFair Statistics Yearbook. The yearbook has audited data for the first time from Novi Sad, Serbia. 

Possible promotional actions, celebrations of the Global Exhibition Day (June 8th, 2016) has been dealt with at the General Assembly. CENTREX as one of the earliest supporter of holding a Global Exhibition Day – initiative of Polish Chamber of Exhibition Industry – has been instrumental to concept current ideas, messages, active in UFI’s Task Force to work on its framework. 

The Assembly also gave platform to signing agreement between Kielce Trade Fair and the Polish Chamber of Exhibition Industry about cooperation in launching "Exhibitions give you more" campaign on promoting trade fairs in Poland – a blueprint of comprehensive generic promotion of trade fairs. 

The General Assembly has elected Mr. Andrzej Mochon, President and Chief Executive Officer of Kielce Trade Fairs as Chairman of CENTREX Union for the period 2016-18. He succeeded Mr. Hennadii Kroychik, President of GalEXPO, Lviv.