AusLeisure

UFI, the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, in partnership with the Venue Management Association (Asia Pacific), has recently competed the staging of the first-ever Venue Management School in China.

The three-day UFI-VMA Venue Management School was staged from 20th to 22nd November and hosted by the Shanghai New International Exhibition Centre (SNIEC), a long-time UFI member and strong supporter of UFI’s activities in China.

Oversubscribed with 34 students from 15 different venues across China, the program offered participants an unmatched learning environment with lectures delivered in Mandarin by experienced senior-level managers from leading venues in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Shenyang.

The lectures included group work, case studies and best practices covering core areas of venue management including customer care, safety and security, back of house operations, venue marketing, leadership skills and human resources management.

Supported by Ungerboeck Software, the program also included a mandatory final exam, a gala dinner and a city tour for students from outside Shanghai. This programme was supported by the generous sponsorship of Ungerboeck Software.

Commenting on the program, UFI Managing Director and Chief Executive Kai Hattendorf stated “in recent years, additional venue space has become available in almost all regions of the world, especially in the Asia-Pacific region.

“Venue investments are long-term investments – they require the necessary infrastructure as well as qualified staff. (This) new Venue Management School offers programs aimed at qualifying venue managers to handle the needs of the international exhibition organisers that are bringing business to these venues.”

The lack of qualified staff managing exhibition venues internationally is based on the massive growth of exhibition space available.

UFI’s recently published World Map of Exhibition Venues shows that in recent years, additional venue space has become available in all regions of the world. 1,221 exhibition venues currently serve the industry.

Priava backs 2018 Venue Industry Congress
The VMA has also announced that leading cloud-based venue management software company Priava will be the principal sponsor of the Asia Pacific Venue Industry Congress for 2018. 

The partnership follows the Priava’s backing of the 2017 Congress in Sydney.

Commenting on the support, Priava Chief Executive James Pegum stated “following a successful partnership in 2017, we are already planning bigger and better things for the 2018 Congress.

"Having provided venue and event management solutions for more than 20 years, we have acquired a wealth of feedback and knowledge from working closely with venue managers from across the globe.

“As principal sponsor, we will use this knowledge to support the VMA to deliver a program full of ground-breaking and innovative ideas again next year, with specific topics to help delegates to further their professional development and fuel the on-going growth of an industry that continues to prosper and flourish.”

The 2018 Asia Pacific Venue Industry Congress is being held in Auckland from 20th to 23rd May next year.

Click here for details in the Australasian Leisure Management industry Calendar.

Images: Shanghai (top) and delegates at the inaugural UFI-VMA Venue Management School in China (below).

12th September 2017 - STEVE ROMER TO LEAVE ROLE AS VMA CHIEF EXECUTIVE 

8th September 2017 - UFI CHIEF EXECUTIVE COMMITS TO SERVING THE ASIA PACIFIC REGION 

21st August 2017 - 1,000,000 EVENTS SUCCESSFULLY MANAGED USING PRIAVA

31st July 2017 - REGISTRATIONS ROLL IN FOR 2017 VENUE MANAGEMENT SCHOOL AND GRADUATE INSTITUTE

24th May 2017 - VENUES ASSESS SECURITY IN WAKE OF MANCHESTER ARENA TERRORIST ATTROCITY 

23rd May 2017 - STEVE HARPER TAKES ON VMA LEADERSHIP ROLE

11th April 2017 - VENUE MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION LOOKS TO BIGGEST EVER CONGRESS

20th March 2017 - FIRST EVENTS STAGED AT CHINA’S SHENYANG NEW WORLD EXPO

9th August 2016 - STUDY REAFFIRMS ECONOMIC BENEFITS OF HONG KONG’S EXHIBITION INDUSTRY

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