Trade fairs are and remain marketplaces for people

• “Global Exhibitions Day 2017” placing worldwide focus on the strengths of the exhibition industry on 7th June 2017.
• GDG-Chairman Dr Roland Fleck: “Free trade is a central foundation for peoples’ prosperity and success in the exhibition business.”
• Germany is the leading platform for key international trade fairs, exhibitions and congresses – and aims to remain so.

The exhibition centre Germany is the leader in a global context: according to the Association of the German Trade Fair Industry (AUMA), German exhibition companies are No. 1 worldwide in the staging of international trade fairs and exhibitions. For Dr Roland Fleck, Executive Board Spokesman of the Gemeinschaft deutscher Großmessen (GDG, Community of Large German Trade Fairs), this success is at the same time a mandate for action for the future: “Welcome among friends – this applied not only to Germany during the World Cup, but has also been true each year for our trade fairs and exhibitions. We are the mirror of the global economic trend and therefore one thing applies in particular: trade fairs and exhibitions are and remain marketplaces for people.”

The reason for the statement is the “Global Exhibitions Day” taking place on 7th June, which highlights the significance of trade fairs and exhibitions for the economy in general. “Global Exhibitions Day” is initiated by the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry UFI (“Union des Foires Internationales”) with headquarters in Paris, which on this day, under the motto “Think Global – Act Local”, is seeking to heighten public awareness for the central interface function of exhibition centres. Dr Roland Fleck however sees a lot more to this subject: “In the exhibition industry there are people working from the most diverse professions and origins. We are all united by the guiding theme of promoting worldwide exchange and trade. To this end, we need regional roots and, at the same time, the famous ‘look beyond our own horizons’!”

Challenges for the exhibition industry
As GDG Executive Board Spokesman, Fleck sees three central challenges facing the German exhibition industry – namely: “Firstly, the digitization of the industry, secondly, the adjustment to what are after all very different economic developments and trends in various economic regions of the world and thirdly, not least the positional changes in politics and security.” And in the light of current events, Fleck highlights: “In particular, the growing complexity of the political situations coupled with the reduced transparency in the political systems are the factors, which the exhibition companies in the markets of the world must deal with in a clever and sensitive way. “Global Exhibitions Day” is a welcome reason to point out that in this context the further development of free trade is a central foundation for the prosperity of people in general and the basis of success for the exhibition business in particular.”

Successful in Nuremberg and worldwide
In addition to his position as GDG Executive Board Spokesman, since 2011, Dr Roland Fleck - together with Peter Ottmann - has been CEO of NürnbergMesse Group. Taking a look at the Franconian exhibition company’s portfolio and performance, he also stated: “Actually, for us every day is “Global Exhibitions Day” – because throughout the whole year, with our exhibitions, trade fairs and congresses, we bring together exhibitors and visitors from every continent.” Last year, within the framework of more than 170 events in Nuremberg and worldwide, NürnbergMesse recorded new record figures in terms of turnover, exhibitors and exhibitor stand space. Since the fall of the Wall in 1989, turnover by NürnbergMesse has risen more than 17-fold, in the past ten years it has more than doubled. Fleck: “A prime example of how falling borders and fewer trade barriers can move forward economic development!”

Contact for press and media
Dr. Thomas Koch, Maximilian Hensel
Franziska Weißbrodt, Swenja Ehler, Christine Hartung
T +49 9 11. 86 06-83 53, -82 48
F +49 9 11. 86 06-12 82 48
presse@nuernbergmesse.de

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