12 Petrozavodskaya
St. Petersburg, 197110, Russia
Tel.: +7 812 320 63 63
Fax: +7 812 320 80 90
E-mail: info@euras-forum.com
POST PRESS RELEASE
IV Europe+Asia Event Forum
From 21 to 23 January 2015, the 4th Europe+Asia Event Forum (EFEA) took place, in Saint
Petersburg, Congress Centre «PetroCongress». The Forum was organised by R&C Market Research
Company.
Sponsor of the Forum were RESTEC Group of Companies, ZAO “Expocentre”.
The forum was held under the patronage of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian
Federation and with the support of world leading associations and unions: Russian Union of Exhibitions
and Fairs, Russian Association of Communication Directors and Corporate Publishing, National
Association of Event Specialists.
EFEA is communication site for the events industry professionals that provide an opportunity to
establish international relations, attract investments and expand business networking in the global event
industry.
In 2015, the Forum brought together at its venues meetings industry professionals from 18 cities of
the Russian Federation and 16 foreign countries, including the United Kingdom, Netherlands, Ireland,
Finland, Poland and many others.
The total number of registered participants was 334 people.
At the official opening ceremony of the Forum, on January 22, welcome address to the audience
was delivered by: Sergei Zimin, Deputy Presidential Envoy to the Northwestern Federal District, Oleg
Markov, Vice- Governor of St. Petersburg, Administration of St. Petersburg, Sergey Bednov, Chairman
of the RF CCI Committee on Fair and Exhibition Activities, General Director, ZAO “Expocentre”, Sergei
Alekseev, Chairman of Russian Union of Exhibitions and Fairs, Vice President, ExpoForum-International
Ltd., Ufi President 2015/2016, Martin Sirk, CEO, International Congress and Convention Association
ICCA, Aoife Delaney, Vice President Finance, Site, Serguei Trofimov, Chairman of the EFEA
Organising Committee, President, RESTEC Group of companies.
One of the key sessions of EFEA 2015 was the Plenary session «The role of the regional marketing
in attracting investments into the economy of a region/ country». During this session international experts
of the meetings industry discussed the way congresses and exhibitions influence regional and national
development, as well as the extent of their efficiency; they also shared their experience in regional
promotion, discussed sanctions against Russia and suggested the best ways to develop business within the
framework meetings industry.
According to Serguei Trofimov, President of RESTEC Group of companies, development of
regional and event marketing of regions / destinations is a relevant objective of economic development
territorial entities and countries. Special attention was paid to this issue on 4th Europe+Asia Event
Forum.
The theme of regional marketing has been discussed at the Forum:
At the session «Destination marketing. Business tourism. Two components of success» experts
discussed, how business tourism promotes the development of urban and tourism infrastructure, and it
increases the investment attractiveness of the region. Moderator of the session were Alexander Gorokhov,
the acting Federal Tourism Agency Head, the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation and Dmitri
Gavra, Professor, Ph.D and Chair of Public Relations at the Graduate School of Journalism and Mass
Communications, St-Petersburg State University.
On the session «The role of convention bureau in the industry development» experts discussed role
of CVB from a different perspective: a client one (an event agency and a venue) as well as a destination
Organiser:
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12 Petrozavodskaya
St. Petersburg, 197110, Russia
Tel.: +7 812 320 63 63
Fax: +7 812 320 80 90
E-mail: info@euras-forum.com
(city and national CVB). Moderator of the session was Anna Gorska, ICCA Central European Chapter
Chairperson, Development Director, Expo XXI Warsaw International Expocentre Poland. This session
brought together representatives of the Congress Bureau from Russia.
One of important session was “Third Wave” of Destination Competitiveness in the international
meetings market. Martin Sirk, CEO, International Congress and Convention Association ICCA focused
attention to the benefits and what changes happened in the meetings industry, how they influenced the
competitiveness of the destination.
International Congress and Convention Association ICCA has long been a partner of EFEA. In this
year two representatives of ICCA held proprietary sessions and answered the questions of Forum
participants about increasing the attractiveness of the region to attracting international events.
On the first day of the Forum, held an extended session of the ССI of the Russian Federation,
Committee on Fair and Exhibition Activities and support of manufacturers and exporters. Key theme of
session were “The role of exhibitions, fairs and congresses in solving the problems of import substitution”
and “The preparation of the round table "On the coordination of the exhibition business in the SCO and
BRICS to promote products and services to the markets of the members of these associations and third
countries" in the framework of the joint business forum of BRICS and the SCO: perspectives of business
partnership"(St. Petersburg International Economic Forum 18-19 June 2015, St. Petersburg).
According to Sergey Bednov, Chairman of the RF CCI Committee on Fair and Exhibition
Activities, General Director, ZAO Expocentre despite the difficult economic situation, the whole
nomenclature of exhibitions stayed the same and Russia has success in temporary difficulties and can
benefit from them.
Particular attention of the Forum participants in 2015 was given to Exhibition industry. On the
session «Exhibition industry: market overview, new trends and perspectives of industry development.
How to stay competitive in the modern market» experts discussed how business is ready for the new
conditions of competition, and how to stay competitive in the market today, how sanctions affect on the
exhibition business in Russia. Heads of leading exhibition companies took the part in this session: Igor
Kirsanov, General director, RESTEC Exhibition Company; David Gallacher-Olsson, Commercial
Director Market Development, UBM EMEA; Anna Sadovnichaya, Deputy General Director,
EXPOCENTRE ZAO; Eugen Alles, Managing Director, Messe Frankfurt Russia, Ltd.
One of important theme of Forum was Conference «Expopriority. Intellectual Property and
exhibition industry». Leading experts of exhibition industry discussed issue of protecting intellectual
property. Moderator of the session was Ekaterina Bednova, Head of the Intellectual Property Department
of the Legal Division, Expocentre ZAO.
In this year was plenary session «Customer and contractor: the dialogue in the same language» in
the format of live discussion with the support of Russian Association of Communication Directors and
Corporate Publishing. Heads of major companies took the part in this session: Kermen Mandzhieva, PRdirector, North-West Branch OJSC «MegaFon», Oleg Kuzmin, Chief Strategic Communications Officer,
STS Media, Alexander Vikhrov, Chief Executive Officer, Head of PR, Finance corporation «URALSIB»,
Marina Kamayeva, Manager Corporate Affairs North, ZAO Philip Morris Izhora. From the contractor
were Irina Alexandrova, Deputy Sales and Marketing Director, RESTEC EVENTS (RESTEC Group of
companies), Alexandra Yurkova, Marketing Director, Monomax Congresses&Incentives, Darya
Ostrovskaya, Managing director, Media Company RESTEC MEDIA (RESTEC Group of companies).
Plenary session ended with a signing of the Memorandum of Cooperation between Russian
Association of Communication Directors and Corporate Publishing and R&C Market Research Company.
Violent dispute happened at the session «Event industry: where to find the staff? » Representatives
of the business community and representatives of education have been arguing about modern labor
market and demands of the meetings industry.
Seminar «Change management - be prepared for the future. How to manage business
transformation processes successfully» was as bonus from Organisers. Moderators were Karla Juegel,
Founder & CEO Messe | Marketing and Janos Barabas, Dr., UFI Vice-President, President CENTREX,
CEFA General Secretary.
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12 Petrozavodskaya
St. Petersburg, 197110, Russia
Tel.: +7 812 320 63 63
Fax: +7 812 320 80 90
E-mail: info@euras-forum.com
According to Janos Barabas political, social, technological or ecological conditions are changing
more rapidly and intensely. One of the most important stages of development of the company is the skill
to adapt to these conditions. Participants of the seminar learned main tools in the change management
field.
A total of 15 thematic panel sessions, round tables and workshops were held during the Forum.
Innovative proposal of the Forum was Special session #seek-and-speak, This session brought
together event industry experts with diverse and impressive experience in organising of events, from
festivals and team-building sessions to parties, corporate retreats, and PR events. This was the first time
on the Forum when experts in this particular field of the events industry shared their experience.
For all the days of the Europe+Asia Event Forum, the Matchmaking Centre was working,
providing the Forum participants and guests with the opportunity to establish direct contacts and
strengthen business relationships with events industry professionals. 156 meetings were held with the
participation of events industry professionals for 3 days of the Forum. Matchmaking Centre participants
have been countries such as Russia, Italy, UK, Hungary, Poland, Germany and other.
The greatest innovative developments for events industry was presented at exhibition of
technological opportunities «EXPO EFEA», and for young meeting industry professionals was organized
a job fair, where they presented their implemented projects with the aim to get interesting work.
Event industry leaders were announced in St. Petersburg at the official award ceremony of
independent EFEA Awards. The ceremony took place in the Garden City Expocentre. EFEA Awards was
initiated by the Expo Business Review media project and R&C Market Research Company. General
partner of EFEA Awards is the TASS News Agency.
Expocentre ZAO, RESTEC® Group and ExpoForum International Ltd. were nominated for
Recognition of the Year. The winner was Expocentre ZAO, which celebrated its 55th anniversary in
2014.
The top three companies in the Partnership of the Year category were ITE Group, E.J. Krause &
Associates Inc. and Messe Düsseldorf GmbH. The jury vote determined ITE Group as the winner.
2014 was a year of many meaningful events. Russia hosted the Olympic Games. Major
international forums and exhibitions were held in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg, Novosibirsk,
Sochi and Krasnodar. The experts nominated the 21st World Petroleum Congress, St. Petersburg
International Economic Forum and the Exhibition of the North-Western Federal District at the Olympic
Park in Sochi. The St. Petersburg International Economic Forum became the EFEA Awards Grand
Project.
In 2014 a new Expoforum Convention and Exhibition Centre was opened in St. Petersburg. It was a
milestone for the Russian MICE-industry. The special Breakthrough of the Year prize was awarded to
ExpoForum International Ltd.
Along with the above events, a final of the contest for young events industry professionals Event
TALENTS was held on the final day of the Forum. The jury was composed of leading experts from
specialised industry educational institutions of St. Petersburg and European experts Anna Gorska and
Enrica Baccini. First place was shared by two finalists: Anastasia Polyakova with the project “Time of
Events” and Daria Rusakova with the project "Russian Wedding". In addition, Daria won a free
participation in the St. Petersburg International Youth Forum with free accommodation, while Anastasia
was awarded the youth exchanges certificate. Audience award was presented to Daria Sochenova for her
project “Change the Course of Events”.
Welcome to 5th Europe+Asia Event Forum which will take place on 20-22 January 2016 in St.
Petersburg, Russia.
Follow us on the official website http://euras-forum.com/
Contact us:
Daria Sharapova
Tel.: +7 812 320 63 63(ext. 7370)
sharapova@restec.ru
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