IAEM Signs Pact With Chinese Agency
By Margo McCall -- Tradeshow Week, 5/3/2004
The Intl. Assn. for Exhibition Management has signed an agreement with the Chinese government intended to foster greater cooperation between tradeshow organizers in the two countries.
The pact, signed April 21 in Washington, D.C., calls for the China Council for the Promotion of Intl. Trade and IAEM to exchange information on tradeshows in their respective countries. IAEM, working with the U.S. Department of Commerce, will try to boost American exports to China by educating U.S. organizers about new Chinese companies.
In return, the Chinese trade group has agreed to help U.S. organizers participate in Chinese tradeshows. The two groups plan to hold an event in Beijing designed to help IAEM members collaborate with Chinese partners. The first event, called China Expo Summit,is set for next January.
With its high growth rates and large population base, China is seen as a particularly lucrative market for tradeshows. The country hosts more than 3,000 exhibitions annually. Growth rates of 20 percent are the norm, according to the Hong Kong Exhibition & Convention Industry Assn. That compares to recent U.S. tradeshow growth rates in the low single digits.
"This increased cooperation will make it easier for an organizer from here to go to China and look for opportunities," said IAEM Chairman Dennis Slater, president of the Assn. of Equipment Manufacturers. "On the reverse side, the U.S. market is important to the Chinese. It behooves them to come to North America to sell their products or attend shows."
The Society of Independent Show Organizers, which represents for-profit show managers, is also considering entering into a cooperative agreement with the Chinese trade agency, but is seeking clarification on some issues. "Any cooperation with representatives from the Chinese market is welcome," said Cherif Moujabber, president of Creative Expos and Conferences and chairman of SISO's international committee.
There's another reason the cooperative agreement is important. With visa delays a frequent problem for Chinese and other foreigners attending U.S. tradeshows, IAEM officials hope a closer relationship will ease such holdups. Slater said IAEM is pushing for quicker visa processing for repeat visitors to U.S. tradeshows.
On behalf of IAEM, Jack Withiam, George Little Management executive vice president and general counsel, recently testified about the issue before the U.S. House Committee on Small Business. Withiam listed numerous instances where shows' foreign attendance declined appreciably as a result of visa concerns.
And with travel to the United States under added scrutiny, many believe that foreigners are increasingly bypassing U.S. tradeshows in favor of those held in Europe or Asia.
"The visa issue is discouraging. If you don't find a solution to it, it has a dampening effect on exhibitors and attendees. It's a lost opportunity for us," Slater said.
Former Chairwoman Jacqueline Russo and COO Cathy Breden attended the Washington, D.C. signing ceremony on behalf of IAEM. They were joined by Chinese Vice Premier Wu Yi, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Donald Evans and U.S. Trade Representative Robert Zoellick.
