Change is up to organisers

I have some comments regarding your feature on conferences and exhibitions (MW December 4 1997).

While it’s encouraging to see many industry bodies, including the AEO, working towards raising awareness of, and securing Government support for our industry, I believe the responsibility to encourage change and improvements in exhibition standards really lies with the exhibition organisers themselves. At Miller Freeman we are working on a number of levels to achieve these objectives.

Representitives of Miller Freeman and our parent group United News & Media, regularly meet with the DTI to promote the interests of the exhibitions industry. Only through constant lobbying by the people that create exhibitions will we be able to make a significant difference to the industry as a whole.

John Runacre, chairman of exhibiton organiser Clip, highlighted the disparity between what can and cannot be done at exhibitions in the UK and abroad; as a truly international organisation we are well placed to advise exhibitors on this. We recently formed a focus group of sales promotion exhibitions in the UK and Europe, with the aim of sharing information for mutual benefit. As a result, we can provide UK exhibitors looking to show at exhibitions in Europe with information on a variety of aspects, including health and safety and local legislation, giving a better service to our customers and helping them to have a more effective presence at exhibitions.

Adrian Broadbent

Event director

Incentive International

Miller Freeman