"Suitable modern capacity was lacking..."
The Expomedia Group, London, sets up event facilities in growth markets. Central and eastern Europe is one of these. CEO Marc Shashoua describes his objectives.
Expomedia is heavily involved in central and eastern Europe: What makes these markets so appealing?
The founders of Expomedia, my father Roger and myself, and the managers gathered exceptional experience in Russia and eastern Europe during the early nineties - including the development of the Russian market. We saw the enormous potential of the region and enjoy the challenge of working in new markets. Now that we have set up sales, marketing and locations, we can help other companies benefit as well.
How are your Expo XXI Centres in Warsaw and Budapest faring?
Our location in Warsaw is doing extremely well. Since it opened in 2001, the booking figures have constantly grown, in 2004 we hit the one-million-square-feet mark (92,936.8 m2). The fact that the centre can be used for completely different events and is modern and multifunctional has made it the event venue of choice in Poland. Demand is so high that we agreed to build another 10,000-m2 pavilion next to it at the end of the year to be able to accommodate larger events and several events concurrently. The total area of the event location will then be 30,000 m2.
We do not currently have an Expo XXI Centre in Budapest, but we are working closely with the newly renovated Sports Arena in the area of sales and marketing.
Are you just concentrating on trade fairs and exhibitions or on other events, too?
Our customers usually book the centres for trade fairs and exhibitions, but since the facilities are multifunctional, they are also used for large conventions, corporate and special events, sporting events, and conferences. Just to give you an idea, Expo XXI Warsaw has been a film set, hosted club nights and was used for the casting of the Polish version of Pop Idols. An enormous Microsoft Event, that Bill Gates attended, was also held here.
Do you see the centres as complementing existing exhibition infrastructures?
When we open an Expo XXI Centre in a city, we see it as complementary - but also as something that is unique and provides for the needs of today's organisers in a different way. In some markets where we are active, the trade fair industry has not been able to develop properly because suitable modern capacity was lacking. With the Expo XXI Centres, we hope to give the trade fair industry the necessary impetus on the market.
What did the trade fair industry in Warsaw look like before you opened the centre?
Of course, there were trade fairs and exhibitions. But we believe the centre breathed new life into the trade fair industry just as Poland entered the European Union. Companies were encouraged to come here, which helped Warsaw catch up with other large European cities as an exhibition venue.
The French company GL Events is the new manager of HungExpo...
I'm sure that any further development of the trade fair infrastructure in Budapest will benefit the market as a whole. HungExpo was always a going concern - now, GL Events will certainly modernize the facilities and internationalise the products.
What do you expect from the Expo XXI Centre in Katowice?
It was opened in an important industrial region of Poland. It is managed and marketed just like our other centres, and we think we will soon be able to direct more interest to the event venue.
And how is Belgrade doing?
Our activities in Belgrade are progressing well: our Expo XXI Centre there will be completed by the end of 2005. It will provide about 2,500 m2 of exhibition space. We hope that will give an additional boost to what is already a lively trade fair scene.
How do you select locations for your buildings?
We look at the potential for future development of the whole market and evaluate what facilities are available in a location at a given time. If we think they do not fully meet the requirements of international organisers and that an Expo XXI Centre would offer them something different, we consider establishing a new event building there.
What is your advice to exhibitors wanting to enter the central and eastern European market?
Take part in a good exhibition with the right audience and the right local backing and support from associations and other bodies. My advice would be: do your initial research carefully.Interview: Christine Seizinger
m+a report Nr.6 / 2005 vom 23.09.2005
m+a report vom 23. September 2005