ITE Uzbekistan joined the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry (UFI).

ITE Uzbekistan has thus become the first exhibition company in Uzbekistan to be officially recognized at the international level as an organizer of the world class exhibitions.

The company’s Director-General Iskander Yakubov said: "The recognition of the Uzbek company by the UFI can be viewed as a breakthrough into the world exhibition business. It is like a passport of the international exhibition community. It took the company not one year to be recognized like this. This event will definitely contribute not only to the development of the exhibition industry of Uzbekistan, it will also reflect on the development of the country’s economy as a whole.

The status of the UFI member raises the trust of the international business community in the company, and guarantees the world standard quality of the exhibition services. It is an indicator of the company’s reliability and stability. We should note that the fact that Uzbekistan has a company which is a member of the UFI also gives it an attractive image. And this means that an even greater number of foreign companies will show interest in the Uzbek market."

ITE Uzbekistan understands the responsibility of the UFI membership, as foreign companies would probably trust the recommendations of the international association. The company’s exhibitions are quite known in Central Asian region and the CIS, and now the company expects a new flow of exhibition participants from other regions too.

In spring 2007, ITE Uzbekistan organised and conducted nine international exhibitions in Tashkent – UzBuild, WorldFood Uzbekistan, AgroWorld Uzbekistan, TIHE, Apteka Expo, Beauty Uzbekistan, Stomatology Uzbekistan, Oil and Gas Uzbekistan, and MebelExpo Uzbekistan. In total, 472 companies participated, presented their products and services and found partners both in Uzbekistan and abroad. Among the participants were companies from nearly all continents – Europe, Asia, America, and Africa. Some 26,000 people from all regions of Uzbekistan and the region visited the exhibitions. In the fall of 2007,t eh company plans another eight exhibitions.

The company received the original papers confirming its membership in the UFI from the organisation’s headquarters in August this year.

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. As a privileged forum for dialogue, UFI’s main goal is to represent its members and the exhibition industry worldwide.

UFI was established in 1925. Today it unites the leading exhibition companies and centres around the world. Currently, 248 companies and associations from 154 cities of 74 countries of five continents are members of the UFI.