UFI Opens MENA Office in Tehran

The Paris-based Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, also known as UFI, opened its office for the Middle East and North Africa in Tehran on Tuesday. UFI’s main goal is to represent, promote and support the business interests of its members and the exhibition industry, its website reported. It directly represents some 50,000 exhibition industry employees globally and also works closely with its 55 national and regional associations members, IRNA reported. It had earlier selected Hossein Esfahbodi, the head of Iran International Exhibitions Company, as the chairman of its office in Middle East and North Africa for a three-year period beginning from November 2017. The organization has four offices in four regions of the world: Pacific with Hong Kong as its center, Africa and Middle East with its center in Dubai, Americas with Mexico as its center and the Europe in Paris. Esfahbodi said this is the first time Iran is selected as the chair of the organization, though the country has been a member since 1955. The first regional meeting under Iran’s chairmanship will be held in Oman in March. Iran is one of the most successful countries in the field of exhibition industry, with more than 220 international exhibitions per year, according to a UFI report.