Dear Fellow IFES Members,
Dear Friends,
Every three years, EuroShop Düsseldorf becomes more than a trade fair. It becomes the global stage for our industry and for our community.
The long-lasting partnership with EuroShop & Messe Duesseldorf matters because it is where the world looks to understand where retail, exhibitions, and experiential environments are heading next. Decision-makers, innovators, clients, and partners gather in one place. Visibility here is not optional; it is strategic. If we want our industry’s voice to be heard, if we want to influence standards, expectations, and future direction, then we must be present – clearly, professionally, and collectively.
The presence of IFES and your individual appearance at EuroShop is about more than showcasing projects or capabilities. It is about credibility. It is about demonstrating competence, leadership, and relevance on the biggest possible platform. I would love to invite those who show up to shape the conversation. Those who cannot make it, please stay connected and support remotely.
This is also where the Yellow Stage comes into focus. Delivered in close cooperation between IFES and fwd:, the German Association for the Exhibition and Event Industry, the Yellow Stage is a shared space for dialogue, insight, and leadership. It is where our industry steps back from the stands and takes a broader view—addressing sustainability, design, innovation, technology, and the future of our businesses. By contributing openly and visibly to this programme, we do not just participate in EuroShop; we help define what comes next.
Together, we will strengthen our visibility, and amplify our collective impact. For all of our members, we will send a clear signal: as a Global Association we are active contributors to the industry’s future, not passive observers. This reinforces the value of our community and underlines the role IFES plays as a trusted, international association of professionals.
2026 will be a defining year. A year in which we must unite and align more closely than ever. The challenges facing our industry, economic uncertainty, geopolitical insecurity, increasing complexity, unforeseen risk, and rapid change, cannot be addressed in isolation. Collaboration is no longer a nice-to-have; it is essential for resilience, stability, and future-proofing our businesses.
Nostalgia is not a good strategy. So let us look forward to EuroShop and all our upcoming events and use them as opportunities where our values become visible. Through cooperation, professionalism, risk management, shared standards, and a strong collective presence throughout the year, we turn principles into practice. And when we do that consistently, the recognition of IFES grows, and with it, the tangible value of being a member.
EuroShop is one of the important occasions where this becomes real. Let us use it to stand together, to speak clearly, and to show the strength of our association—on a global stage with a unified voice.
