Quick takes

UFI’s Global Congress is back

For the first time since November 2019 when the event was held in Bangkok, UFI’s Global Congress is live in-person. Close to 300 delegates are now gathered in Rotterdam to look at what lies ahead for the industry in 2022 and beyond. Follow updates on UFI’s LinkedIn feed and by following #UFICongress. It will include exciting announcements such as plans to hold the 90th UFI Global Congress in Las Vegas on 1st to 4th November 2023.

Exhibitions stopped in Shenzhen

In sign that things are moving in the wrong direction in China, just days before the massive CPSE (China Public Security Expo) the authorities in Shenzhen revoked permission for the event. If the organiser of a public security expo cannot get the green light that does not bode well for events in China in the near-term.

Tencent makes another investment in Japan

Tencent Holdings has announced plans to acquire a roughly 7% stake in Kadokawa, a Japanese publishing company. The investment is valued at US$264 million and will make Tencent Kadokawa’s third-largest shareholder. This follows Tencent’s investment in March in Rakuten, a large Japanese e-commerce company.

EEAA to help events in Australia to recover

The Exhibition and Event Association of Australasia (EEAA) plans to launch a series of initiatives designed to help the exhibition industry in Australia to recover from the long COVID lockdowns that have occurred there over the past 18 months. EEAA will offer an assistance with education, skills development, branding, networking and effective governance to name a few.