Marrakech. Hosted by the Islamic Centre for Development of Trade (ICDT), the UFI Open Seminar in Africa recently concluded in Marrakech, Morocco. This annual seminar is the major UFI event for the region, bringing together exhibition industry professionals, both UFI members and non-members, this year from 15 countries.
Dr. El Hassan Hzaine, ICDT Director General, said in opening the seminar: “ICDT is very happy and proud to join efforts with UFI the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry in bringing this important event to Morocco for the first time. Such meetings are special occasions for Moroccan industry leaders and professionals to meet their counterparts from world over.”
Very positive feedback showed that the content of the seminar met delegates’ expectations with the theme “Exhibitions in North Africa: today and tomorrow” and informative presentations delivered by industry experts and decision makers from Morocco, Tunisia and Libya, reviewing the current exhibition scene in Maghreb countries and outlining the market potential in a promising but challenging part of the world.
Aziz Alami Gouraftei, Director General of OFEC, emphasized that the government of Morocco is supporting the exhibition sector, ensuring strong and sustainable economic growth, creating wealth and at the same time backing the social development process of the country. “The sectors that generate most events are the ones most present in the structure of GDP” he said, describing examples from Turkey and the United Arab Emirates. Mr Gouraftei mentioned that Casablanca currently has the lion’s share of the Moroccan exhibition industry which accounts for 75% of the business in the country.
Paul Woodward, UFI’s Managing Director and the seminar moderator concluded: “There is a growing interest in North Africa among UFI members as we could see from the fact that industry leaders from 15 countries joined us for this meeting in Marrakech. We were particularly pleased to make closer contact with our hosts, the Islamic Centre for the Development of Trade, an important facilitator of trade and 1/04/15 business in 57 countries. We have started some interesting discussions on education and research which we look forward to continuing.”
