The business program of the combined events brought together over 130 participants from 70 Russian, Belarusian, Indian and Kazakh industry leading companies.

RUEF president, Director General of ExpoForum International LLC Sergey Voronkov moderated the key event – plenary session “Convention and exhibition industry: Results 2022”. Welcoming the guests, he noted that in 2022 there were radical and fundamental changes in the activities of companies, format of events and geography of cooperation. 

“St. Petersburg is not simply a leader, but an emerging centre of competence in business tourism of the country. This is the result of a targeted combination of efforts by the city government, business, and industry associations. On the part of the Government, measures have been taken to support the industry with tax incentives, subsidies, grants, and funding for major events. Business is motivated to organize interesting projects, the number of which is growing. RUEF has made the city a centre of activity and education in the event industry; it teamed with St. Petersburg State University of Economics to create the best training program in the country,” said Sergey Voronkov, president of the Russian Union of Exhibitions and Fairs and Director General of ExpoForum International.

RUEF president also informed that this summer the Government cooperated with the industry to develop the Roadmap for industry support, thanks to which certain results have already been achieved, but the main achievements in the form of laws and support measures are yet to come.

Director of the Department of foreign trade regulation and development of the system of trade missions of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Russia Vladislav Barmichev said that the range of support tools for the industry will be extended. He also expressed confidence that despite all challenges the industry has faced in 2022, it will grow next year. 

“The Roadmap for implementation of support measures and strategic development of exhibition, trade fair and convention activities until 2025 has been prepared. We are working on it on a daily basis, and have already achieved a result – a bill on the rules that establish the concept of convention and exhibition activities has been submitted to the Government, with a list of target activities that need support. There are also ideas to hold competitions aimed at identifying the best companies, practices and solutions,” he said. 

Sergey Korneev, Chairman of St. Petersburg Committee for tourism development, said that next year St. Petersburg administration plans to double the financial support. 

He mentioned that St. Petersburg was the site for meetings of any format at the highest level, and importance of the convention and exhibition industry for the city should not be underestimated. For the second year in a row, St. Petersburg has become a leader among Russian cities in the field of conventions and business events, according to the statistical report of the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA). 

“We understand – and the analytics confirms – that the contribution to business events certainly affects the city’s economy. Business tourism makes the quintessential city, from which it receives not only economic, but also a significant reputational effect. Constant and constructive dialogue with RUEF over the past 3 years contributed to the adoption of regulations and development of support measures – the possibility of obtaining loans and subsidies to support the industry,” said Sergey Korneev.

Particularly, the head of the tourism authority noted the effectiveness of the Ambassador program which helps attract major international events to St. Petersburg.

Vice President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation Maxim Fateeev also highlighted the importance of supporting convention and exhibition activities. In particular, he told about the work of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation Committee on Trade Fair and Convention Activities, which supports the development of national standards; about the organizational and information patronage of exhibitions, fairs and conventions, as well as the provision of services for the exhibition and fair activity.

“Together with RUEF, CCI participates in the development and implementation of the Roadmap, because we believe that the exhibition and convention activities are an important tool in solving the issues of import substitution and technological security of our country,” he said.

During the event, delegates have discussed challenges and points of growth of the convention and exhibition industry, approaches to the preparation of business events, and tools of industry development; they also summarized the preliminary results of RUEF operations in 2022 and identified key activities for the next year.