UFI is the association of the world's leading tradeshow organisers and fairground owners, as well as the major national and international associations of the exhibition industry, and its partners.
UFI represents 442 member organisations (composed of 227 Exhibition Organisers, 36 Hall Owner Managers, 120 Exhibition Organisers & Hall Owner Managers, 37 Associations and 22 Partners of the exhibition industry), present in 189 cities in 83 countries on the 5 continents.
UFI was founded in Milan, Italy, on 15 April 1925, by 20 leading European international trade fairs, namely: Bordeaux, Brussels, Budapest, Cologne, Danzig, Frankfurt/Main, Leipzig, Ljubljana, Lvov, Lyon, Milan, Nizhny Novgorod, Padua, Paris, Prague, Reichenberg, Utrecht, Valencia, Vienna and Zagreb.
UFI has bestowed its quality label upon over 782 trade fairs and exhibitions organised by its members.
As a privileged forum for dialogue, UFI's main goal is to represent its members and the exhibition industry worldwide.
By promoting the unique characteristics of trade fairs:
UFI plays the role of an efficient networking platform where professionals of the exhibition industry can exchange ideas and experiences;
UFI promotes trade fairs and exhibitions globally as a unique marketing and communications tool;
UFI provides UFI members with valuable studies and research regarding all aspects of the exhibition industry;
UFI offers educational training opportunities and a variety of high-level seminars; and
UFI deals with issues of common interest for its members in the frame of the regular meetings of its regional chapters and working committees.