外貿協會副秘書長王熙蒙獲頒IAEE 國際卓越獎 這是台灣的第一次

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【臺北訊】全球會展業具影響力的組織–國際展覽活動協會(International Association of Exhibition and Events, IAEE) 於美國時間12月8日(台灣時間12月9日)在費城舉辦IAEE Awards頒獎典禮,外貿協會副秘書長王熙蒙在黃志芳董事長推薦下參與競逐並榮獲國際卓越獎(International Excellence Award),為臺灣第一人、亞洲第二人獲得該獎項。雖因COVID-19疫情限制,王熙蒙無法親自到場受獎,仍錄製得獎感言影片,並藉此機會推廣臺灣為最佳會展活動的目的地。

 

圖:外貿協會副秘書長王熙蒙以影片發表得獎感言,進一步推廣臺灣會展產業。

國際展覽活動協會每年舉辦IAEE Awards,表揚對全球展覽及活動產業具有傑出貢獻的產業人士,外貿協會推廣會展產業有成,而王熙蒙乃督導外貿協會每年辦理約30項國際專業展,包括領先全球指標的台北國際電腦展(COMPUTEX TAIPEI)、全球第二大的台北國際自行車展(TAIPEI CYCLE)及全球第四大的台北國際汽機車零配件展(TAIPEI AMPA)與台北國際工具機展(TIMTOS),也經營管理台北世貿1館、南港展覽館1、2館及台北國際會議中心,同時在全球知名的國際展覽業協會(Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, UFI)擔任理事,是理事會中臺灣唯一代表。其豐富之會展經驗及卓越表現,也在該會林芳苗秘書長的背書下,獲得評審委員會的一致好評。

 

圖:頒獎人宣布外貿協會副秘書長王熙蒙榮獲國際卓越獎International-Excellence-Award。

此外,他也擔任經濟部國際貿易局委託外貿協會執行的MEET TAIWAN計畫主持人,推動臺灣會展產業發展,該計畫曾獲得會展媒體TTG Asia Media所辦TTG Travel Awards的2019年度最佳會展局獎(Best Convention & Exhibition Bureau)及知名會展媒體M&C Asia 2020年Stella Awards的最佳創新目的地行銷特別獎(Most Innovative Destination Marketing)。

 

近2年來全球受到疫情嚴重衝擊,王熙蒙表示現在是展覽業有史以來最艱難的時刻,2020年全球展覽業營收衰退68%。根據國際展覽業協會發布的第17版亞洲展覽產業報告,2020年亞洲展覽銷售面積較2019年大幅減少62.96%,臺灣展覽總展出面積為15萬3,000平方公尺,在該報告調查的17個國家地區中排名第5,較2019年進步1個名次,而1至4名分別為中國大陸、印度、韓國及日本。該報告也指出,臺灣雖相對疫情控制良好,但因邊境管制尚未放鬆,國際出現新的變異病毒株情況下,2022年對臺灣會展產業仍面臨艱鉅的挑戰。

 

然而王熙蒙也指出,在這波疫情下仍有部分企業找到機會逆勢成長,期許臺灣會展業者共同堅持度過難關,外貿協會未來將持續配合政府政策,與會展業者攜手進行數位升級,結合數位技術與工具提供更全面的服務,在邊境管制情況下,繼續協助我國廠商在展覽平台上拓銷國際市場。

 

Simon Wang First Person from Taiwan to Receive IAEE’s International Excellence Award

Simon Wang, the Executive Vice President of Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) becomes the first Taiwanese and second Asian to win the International Excellence Award of International Association of Exhibition and Events (IAEE), a major global organization in the MICE industry, which held the IAEE Awards Ceremony in Philadelphia, USA on December 8th. Due to the travel limitation caused by the COVID-19, Mr. Wang expressed his excitement at receiving the award through remarks made in a recorded video, further promoting Taiwan as the best destination for MICE events.

Each year, IAEE recognizes and awards professionals in the exhibition and event industry for their outstanding contributions. Wang’s extensive experience and    prominent performance earned unanimous praise from the IAEE Awards Committee. Foremost among his accomplishments are:

  • Directing 30 international trade shows organized by TAITRA annually including the iconic world-leading COMPUTEX TAIPEI
  • The world’s second most important trade show for bicycles, TAIPEI CYCLE
  • Other internationally important trade shows such as TIMTOS and TAIPEI AMPA
  • Supervising the management of TAITRA’s main facilities including the Taipei World Trade Center Hall 1, Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center Halls 1 and 2, and the Taipei International Convention Center.
  • He is also the only person concurrently representing Taiwan at the Board Member of the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry (UFI).

What’s more, Wang acts as the Project Director of Taiwan’s MICE Promotion Program – MEET TAIWAN, a program entrusted to TAITRA by the Bureau of Foreign Trade, Ministry of Economic Affairs, which was awarded The Best Convention & Exhibition Bureau of TTG Travel Awards in 2019 and Most Innovative Destination Marketing of M&C Asia’s Stella Awards.

Witnessing a stunning 68% drop in revenue in the global exhibition industry, Wang further indicated that it is the toughest time ever for the exhibition industry as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the 17th edition of the Trade Fair Industry in Asia Report published by UFI, Asia recorded a shocking 63% drop in net exhibition space sold in 2020 compared to 2019. Taiwan’s overall exhibition space sold in 2020 was 153,000 square meters, rising one slot to 5th among the 17 countries/regions, with China, India, South Korea and Japan ranked first to fourth respectively.     

In addition, the report suggested that with border control, a new variant of coronavirus, and that Taiwan’s exhibition industry is highly driven by export-oriented events, 2022 will still be a year of severe challenges for Taiwan.

Nonetheless, Wang pointed out that there are still some enterprises showing growth against the pandemic and hopes that Taiwan MICE industry will stay together to overcome the difficulties. TAITRA will continue to cooperate with the government measures to help Taiwan enterprises to expand their business in the global market by accelerating the digital upgrading of the industry and providing comprehensive services integrating digital technology and tools.