Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- According to the World Association of the Exhibition Industry (UFI), more than 30,000 various congresses, exhibitions and fairs on the most relevant topics in all spheres were held annually in the world. Global business of professional and industrial exhibitions due to the spread of coronavirus this year decreased by 60%. The Institute for Strategic and Interregional Studies under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan reports.

The World Association of the Exhibition Industry is a worldwide industry organization that includes international and national associations in this area. UFI unites 684-member organizations in 239 cities in 85 countries. The main office is located in Paris. Regional offices are located in Hong Kong and Sharjah (UAE).

Companies in Europe and North America were hit hardest - a 44% decline, Asia Pacific 39%, Central and South America 33%, and the Middle East and Africa 31%.

According to UFI, by the end of the second quarter of this year. the volume of outstanding orders and contracts in the world will reach US$145 billion dollars (this industry did not contribute US$88 billion to the world economy, as a result of the crisis, more than 950 thousand permanent jobs were lost).

Experts note that during the pandemic, the global exhibition industry began to actively go online.

To organize an exhibition you need: a) available technologies; b) high-speed Internet; c) information technology specialists, etc. In this regard, many countries provide subsidies and grants to enterprises to support this sector: Australia provided US$1.8 billion, the EU - US$1.2 billion, Hong Kong - US$130 million.

Today, about 50 virtual exhibitions are held in the world, in which more than 13 thousand exhibitors from 135 countries participate.

In general, participation in online exhibitions provides a more complete and multifaceted impact on target audiences, making advertising and marketing programs even more effective. Experts predict that after the pandemic, online exhibitions will continue to function actively alongside traditional ones.