Posted by

Barry Siskind

Community Manager

Dean and Professor Kishore Mahbubani will be one of the key-note speakers at UFI’s 77th Congress in Singapore. I had a chance to ask him a few questions that relate to his presentation, “The Unstoppable Return of Asia”. Here is what we spoke about.

1.      Q. You use the word “naturally” when describing the re-emergence of Asia and India. Why?

A. There is a tendency in nature, as well as in history, to return to the norm after deviations occur. Over the first two thousand years, until approximately 1820  the largest economies of the world were Asian, especially those of China and India. Hence, the last 200 years of Western domination were an historical deviation. All deviations come to a natural end and by 2010 we have abundant evidence that Asian economies will once again resume their natural place of providing the world’s largest economies.

2.      Q.  What do you see as the greatest challenges the exhibition industry faces in this time of transition?

A. The biggest challenge will be to adjust to different markets. In the 20th century, the biggest market for exhibitions was in North America and Europe. Western styles and norms dominated the industry. In the 21st century, the biggest markets will be in Asia and the rest of the world. Styles and norms will have to change to adapt to those new emerging markets.

3.      Q. If the economic focus shifts what can the exhibition industry do to embrace the challenge or slow it down?”

A. The simplest way for the exhibition industry to embrace this change is to shift the primary venue for major exhibitions to Asia. We have a natural human tendency to stick within our comfort zones and go back to the venues we are accustomed to. We are also naturally reluctant to experiment with new venues and methods. However, the world of the 21st century is a world outside our comfort zones. Hence the exhibition industry should make a conscious effort to try out new venues in Asia and elsewhere.  

There is still time to join the exhibition industry at UFI’s 77th Congress in Singapore. http://www.ufi.org/singapore2010/