AEFI: 35 years supporting he Italian Trade Fair System
The Members’ Meeting of AEFI – Italian Exhibition and Trade Fair Association was held today at Firenze Fiera, in the historic Sala della Scherma of the Fortezza Da Basso.
In his report, AEFI President Ettore Riello outlined the results of a 2017 that, despite some difficult situations, ended well with positive trends in exhibitions. Riello also recalled some political and economic issues of fundamental importance to the sector and its competitiveness at an international level, including the IMU tax which dramatically affects the accounts of Trade Fairs. If on one hand the necessary and substantial size of trade fair districts represents an asset underpinning the entire system, on the other it should not be an element weighing on the accounts to the extent of putting the businesses themselves at risk.
“AEFI is continuing – as it has for some time now – its campaign to raise the awareness of Institutions so that the regulations on trade fair real estate fiscal policy are clarified, with more sustainable and equitable taxation, calculating the days effectively used for exhibitions and not treating it as commercial structures or industrial workspaces.” commented Ettore Riello, President of AEFI.
Last year the Association actively proposed many legislative amendments which obtained the support of authoritative representatives of the Italian government, though unfortunately this did not result in their approval.
“We trust that the new government, after dealing with the most pressing issues for the country, will be able to hear our voice as well and recognise the value of trade fairs to the economy. I think it is important to recall that our trade fairs generate 50% of national exports, and estimates confirm that business worth 60 billion euros is done each year. It is not only Italian fairs that generate major turnover – if you consider allied industries, you get as high as 5–6 billion – that should represent a genuine investment in Italy to the institutions.”
During the Meeting, the subject of public bodies owning shares in Trade Fairs was also discussed. Public involvement in Trade Fairs is essential and strategic in the development of the sector, but it is necessary to ensure that rationalising the structure of the state does not result in continuous disinvestment at a time when the whole world is investing intensely in the sector. The role of local public bodies is essential, but they should have resources that permit greater intervention.
President Riello recalled the Ministry of Economic Development’s attention to the sector, which through the special Italian manufacturing promotional plan, launched in 2015, lent great support to internationalisation of our Trade Fairs. “We are pleased that it is being confirmed once more for the next three years. I am confident that the plan can become structurally established precisely because of the great work that our fairs successfully perform in promoting products Made in Italy and for the business of the small and medium-sized enterprises that characterise and distinguish Italy on the international stage,” added Riello.
In a scenario in which internationalisation is increasingly the direction for guiding companies in order to bring new life to the national economy, AEFI continues its mission, supporting Trade Fairs in approaching international markets, also actively thanks to agreements with foreign Associations in strategic markets.
To increase the visibility of Italian Fairs, at both a national and international level, the Association also promotes and organises missions abroad, such as the recent initiative in Russia and forthcoming ones in India, in May, and in China at the end of June.
Global Exhibitions Day on 6 June will be just the occasion to reinforce existing relationships and cultivate new contacts.
The Chairman of Firenze Fiera, Leonardo Bassilichi, closed the session, thanking all members for their contribution.
AEFI – Associazione Esposizioni e Fiere Italiane, a private non-profit Association, was established in 1983 with the goal of generating synergies between the most important Italian exhibition districts. AEFI would like to be seen as a privileged partner for operators and institutions alike, and its role is to support members through the development of activities and programmes in the sphere of training, marketing, promotion and research, as well as to provide services for trade fairs through the activities of its Committees: Exhibition Hub Technical Committee, Legal-Administrative Committee, Internationalisation Committee and Trade Fairs Network Committee.
On the internationalization front, AEFI supports members thanks to agreements with strategic markets. To date, partnerships have been agreed with associations representing the concerns in the trade fair sector in Iran, Taiwan (TECA), Lebanon (LECA), India (IEIA), Thailand (TEA), Africa (AAXO), countries in Central Europe (CENTREX) and with AmCham, the American Chamber of Commerce in Italy. A memorandum of understanding has been signed with SACE and SIMEST.
AEFI has promoted the foundation of ISFCert, the Certification Institute for Exhibition Industry Statistics which, through rigorous methodologies, enables Italian organisers to present and recognise standardised data, in the name of transparency and reliability.
AEFI represents Italian trade fairs in UFI – Union of International Fairs. Chaired by Ettore Riello, AEFI includes 35 member exhibition districts, which organise over 1,000 events a year over an overall exhibition area of 4.2 million square metres. Nearly all international and national trade fairs which take place each year in Italy are held in AEFI-member exhibition districts.