New alliance of associations

Wendelstein / Bern / Ried im Innkreis. The trade fair industry in the German-speaking world is moving closer together: Messen Austria, including its member Messe Bozen, and Swiss LiveCom Association EXPO EVENT, the Swiss association for live communication, are becoming members of FAMA, the Professional Association for Trade Fairs and Exhibitions. This creates the largest organised representative body for the trade fair and events sector in the D-A-CH region. In total, almost 250 companies from the trade fair and events sector are represented across the three associations.

“This cooperation puts the long-standing practice of cross-border exchange on a new footing,” said Henning Könicke, Chairman of the FAMA Board, at the DA-CH Trade Fair Conference. The conference took place on 22 and 23 June in Bern, organised jointly by the three associations: “We have always seen ourselves as an association for the entire German-speaking region and have never defined ourselves as a German association,” Könicke continued.

A new foundation for established practice

For Messen Austria, too, the new partnership is a logical step. Helmut Slezak, President of the working group and CEO of Messe Ried, explains: “For us, exchange, knowledge transfer and robust networks are of central importance. The challenges facing our industry are becoming increasingly international. That is why it is important to join forces, learn from one another and work together to drive the further development of the trade fair industry in the D-A-CH region.”

Messe Ried has been a member of FAMA for more than 20 years. “The alliance we have now formed highlights what we have been practising for many years,” says Slezak. In future, the trade fair companies organised under Messen Austria will also become individual associate members of FAMA. “This demonstrates just how close-knit and trusting our alliance is,” said Slezak.

This is also emphasised by Christian Künzli, President of the Swiss LiveCom Association EXPO EVENT: “The future of our industry lies in collaboration. With this alliance, we are creating a platform that brings together expertise, experience and interests from three countries. This will benefit the associations and their members, as well as the entire trade fair and events industry in the German-speaking world.”

Since 2023, starting in Basel, FAMA, Messen Austria and the Swiss LiveCom Association EXPO EVENT have been jointly organising the DACH Trade Fair Conference. It is the largest conference for the trade fair and events industry in the German-speaking world.

A network of 250 member organisations

The Messen Austria working group comprises the ten largest trade fair organisers and exhibition centre operators from the Austrian federal states, as well as Messe Bozen as its 11th member. They represent the majority of the Austrian trade fair sector. The Swiss LiveCom Association EXPO EVENT comprises almost 200 trade fairs, LiveCom agencies and suppliers. FAMA itself currently has 55 members; in future, this number will rise to 64 companies. Together, the three associations represent almost 250 companies in the trade fair and events sector.

Dr Mike Seidensticker