Connectivity for MICE Cooperation, EPFIC 2019 in Beijing welcomes over 1300 participants
In the beautiful view of Yanqi Lake in Beijing, from 2 to 4 July, the 9th Expo Project Fair for International Cooperation 2019 (EPFIC 2019) was held under the theme of “Connectivity for MICE Cooperation”. The fair was hosted by China International Conference and Exhibitions and Magazine (CICE), jointly sponsored by the China Association of Urban Conference and Exhibition Industry Associations, and co-hosted by Yanqi Lake International Convention and Exhibition Center, the Machinery and Automobile Exhibition Federation, and Suzhou Convention and Exhibition Industry Association.
EPFIC is a B2B event for the global MICE and exhibition industry, and it has been successfully organized for 9 sessions. Since its launch, it has welcomed about 13000 industry professionals from China and about 53 countries and regions. It has a database of trade visitors of 2500 organizations, which constitutes EPFIC’ brand competitiveness and core service. According to third-party statistics, EPFIC 2019 has made significant breakthroughs and remarkable achievements in trade transaction, the number of participants and the internationalization.
The total number of participants in EPFIC 2019 exceeded 1,300, setting a new high in EPFIC history, including nearly 300 trade visitors（event organizers）invited by the organizing committee. During the EPFIC period, a total of 17 sub-forums and sub-events were held. In the same period, 7 annual reports on the exhibition industry segments were released, which won the praise of the majority of the conference and exhibition colleagues.
Outstanding industry appeals
After 9 years of cultivation, EPFIC has already gained high reputation at home and abroad. Many regional exhibition bureaus, convention associations and exhibition companies join the fair. Shanghai, Suzhou, Hangzhou, Xiamen, Nanjing, Wuhan, Yiwu and other convention and exhibition cities participated as groups in EPFIC 2019, demonstrating the brand strength and outstanding industry appeal in EPFIC.
Zhao Wei, founder of EPFIC/President of China International Conference and Exhibition Magazine, welcomed the arrival of global conference and exhibition colleagues in his welcome speech. With the successful holding of the 2nd “One Belt, One Road” International Cooperation Summit Forum this year, the concept of “co-construction, sharing, and win-win cooperation, and strengthening all-round connectivity” advocated by China has become more and more popular. Therefore, EPFIC organizing committee also actively responded to this concept, and set the event theme as “Connectivity for MICE Cooperation”, creating exhibition brands and promoting multi-dimensional interconnection between domestic and foreign MICE associations and enterprises.
Expanding B2B docking activities
In order to enhance the results of EPFIC, the organizing committee set up two special matchmaking meetings, namely: mechanical vehicles and comprehensive categories. Among them, the mechanical automobile matching meeting invites conference and exhibition (trade visitors) of mechanical, industrial, automotive or other types of conference and exhibition projects to conduct one-to-one negotiation and promote project cooperation with MICE service providers in all aspects of the exhibition industry chain. In order to further meet the participants’ negotiation needs, this year’s docking was expanded to four conference rooms. The number of service providers involved in the docking and the business aspects were further improved. B2B docking has been the core service section since EPFIC was created. The number of trade visitors to the matchmaking meeting reached 300, and the atmosphere of the docking was warm and the the time was long. The docking results were remarkable.
In addition, this year’s fair also held a global convention and exhibition promotion meeting, exhibition project docking meeting, etc., all achieved good results!
Internationalization has been upgraded again
EPFIC attaches great importance to the enhancement of international influence. The foreign guests invited included: M. Saleem Khan Tanoli, UFI Asia Pacific First Vice Chairman, Pakistan FAKT Exhibition CEO; Tomasz Szypula, Chairman of the Board of PTAK Warsaw Expo; Joey Pather, General Manager of Tanzhou International Convention and Exhibition Center; Michael Kruppe, General Manager of Shanghai New International Expo Center Co., Ltd.; Andrew Phua, Director, Experience Development Group, Singapore Tourism Board; Yelena Kravtsova, representative of the Russian Exhibition and Fair Alliance; and more. At the same time, EPFIC 2019 also received attention and reports from the international media. More than 30 media at home and abroad reported the activities.
This year’s fair also held a series of exciting activities, including several networking banquets, multiple exhibitions/special promotion conferences and forums. The 3-day event then was concluded by the“Golden Five Stars” awarding ceremony and “Golden Five Stars Night”. The awards included: the Outstanding Convention and Catering Service Award, the Excellent Conference Hotel Award, the Outstanding Conference Center Award, the Outstanding MICE Management Award and many other awards, witnessing the glory of the winners of the 2019 awards and celebrating the achievements of this EPFIC.