UFI主席7月致会员信：从毕尔巴鄂看会展业的城市价值，第93届UFI全球大会报名已开启

Dear UFI Members and Friends,

I am writing to you from Bilbao, where I am attending the AIPC Annual Conference. Gatherings like this are always a valuable reminder of how important it is for us, as an industry, to stay connected with our community, not only to strengthen relationships, but also to keep learning from different perspectives across our global ecosystem. In a world that is increasingly complex, it is these opportunities to come together, exchange ideas and challenge our thinking that make our industry stronger. It is always a privilege to reconnect with our global community on different occasions and in different parts of the world.

I seem to have timed my arrival just after one of Europe’s more dramatic heatwaves. Fortunately, coming from Thailand, I am fairly well trained for warm weather, and like many of our venues, Bilbao offers the great comfort of air conditioning.

Bilbao has also reminded me of one enduring feature of Spanish culture: dinner starts at an hour when I would normally consider the day complete. As someone who can quite happily skip a meal while travelling, I have mostly admired this tradition from a respectful distance.

Being here has also given me the chance to learn more about the story behind the so-called “Bilbao effect” and I have found it fascinating. What strikes me most is that Bilbao’s transformation was never about one iconic building alone. The Guggenheim Museum, designed by Frank Gehry, may be its most recognisable symbol, but it was part of a much broader strategy of urban regeneration led by the Basque government, one that also included major investments in infrastructure and connectivity, from the metro system designed by Norman Foster to the airport and the wider public realm. It is a powerful reminder that real transformation does not come from one bold project in isolation, but from a long-term vision carried through across an entire city.

What also struck me in Bilbao is that the story of transformation is not confined to its landmark architecture or transport infrastructure; it is reflected in the venue hosting us this week. Euskalduna Bilbao stands on the site of the former Euskalduna shipyards, carrying forward a link to the city’s industrial and maritime heritage while expressing its reinvention as a place of connection, exchange and innovation. There is something fitting about the fact that a place once associated with shipbuilding is now a place where people, ideas and industries come together from around the world. It is a powerful reminder that venues are never simply functional spaces. At their best, they become part of a city’s wider regeneration story, preserving a connection to the past while creating value for the future.

There is an important lesson here for our industry. We often speak about economic impact in numbers, and rightly so, but Bilbao is a reminder that our industry’s value goes much further. Events, congresses and exhibitions can be catalysts for urban renewal, international visibility, business growth and civic confidence. They bring people, ideas and investment into a destination and in doing so, they help cities evolve.

In fact, I have seen this impact in a very personal way on this trip. I came to Bilbao for a conference, but I also brought my mini me along, together with friends and family. That means our visit extends beyond the congress venue: hotels, restaurants, transport, shopping, museums and local experiences all become part of the journey. It is a small but very real example of how business events create a wider ripple effect for host destinations, and why our industry matters so deeply to local economies and communities.

This is also why collaboration across our ecosystem matters so much. The most successful destinations are not built by one stakeholder alone. They are shaped by organisers, venues, city leaders, governments, tourism bodies and industry partners working together with a shared vision. As our sector continues to evolve, we must keep championing this broader story: not only the business generated on the show floor, but the lasting legacy our events can leave behind.

And speaking of coming together, registration for the 93rd UFI Global Congress in the Kingdom of Bahrain is now open. We are moving ahead for November and very much hope that many of you will join us. We do so, of course, with full awareness that this is a time of ongoing conflict and uncertainty in parts of the world. Yet I believe it is precisely in times like these that our global community matters most. Our congress is more than a gathering; it is a moment to reconnect, exchange perspectives, support one another and continue shaping the future of our industry together.

I hope to see many of you at the UFI Global Congress this November.

Warm regards,

Panittha Buri
UFI President

The post Letter from the UFI President: July 2026 appeared first on UFI.