Insight Expo at the Crossroads of Events: Results of Participation in the Russian Exhibition and Fairs (RUEF) and the European Trade Fair (EFEA)

As a company specializing in exhibition stand construction, it’s crucial for us to remain at the forefront of professional life. We not only create spaces for our clients’ events but also actively participate in industry events ourselves. We previously informed you that Insight Expo has become a member of the Russian Union of Exhibitions and Fairs (RUEF). Since then, a number of important meetings have taken place, including our participation in two interconnected events held in St. Petersburg: the 13th MICE Networking Forum/Russian Union of Exhibitions and Fairs General Meeting and the Eurasian Event Forum (EFEA). These two events, linked by a unified agenda and bringing together exhibition and congress professionals, set the tone for the development of the entire industry in 2026. We share details and insights.

The Atmosphere of History and the Scale of Modernity

The RUEF agenda kicked off on January 21 in the historic mansion of the Baryatinsky princes – the building of the St. Petersburg Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Tchaikovsky Street. The venue itself set the event’s high status: when business meetings take place in interiors that recall the times of Grand Dukes and art exhibitions, it creates a special, respectful atmosphere.

The General Meeting program was rich and practical:

• The session “Personal Data: Organizer’s Responsibility and New Rules of Operation” featuring Mikhail Bozhor and Vladimir Bannikov provided a clear understanding of how to work within the new legal framework.

• Presentation of the methodology for collecting official statistics for the exhibition and congress industry by experts from the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Research Institute of Statistics (Vladislav Barmichev, Natalia Korolkova, Tatyana Pershina) allowed us to “synchronize our watches” with the official data.

• The highlight of the day was a presentation by futurologist Sergey Pereslegin with a forecast for the development of the convention and exhibition industry, which made us think about long-term trends.

See also Full photo report of the RUEF 2026 meeting.

Parallel to and following the RUEF meeting, the Eurasian Event Forum (EFEA) was held at the PetroCongress Convention Center. The numbers speak for themselves: 668 participants from 265 regions and countries, 40 sessions, 135 speakers, and more than 500 planned meetings at the Business Matchmaking Platform. The forum traditionally confirmed its status as the main launchpad for the Eurasian event industry.

You can view the full photo report from the EFEA 2026 meeting (January 21, January 22, January 23)

Three Benefits: Why Insight Expo Matters

Participating in such events is not just a formality, but an opportunity to fill our daily work with new connections and meaning.

• Networking in the broadest sense.
  RUEF and EFEA are a unique gathering of “their own.” We were able to connect with industry colleagues not only behind the scenes but also at official receptions—for example, at the evening reception at the Bellevue restaurant on the Moika Embankment. This atmosphere encourages open dialogue and the search for new partners. Furthermore, it’s an ideal platform for finding reliable contractors and partners to make our projects even better and more technologically advanced. We were delighted to see familiar faces and make new, useful connections.

• Up-to-date knowledge and legal security.
  The lectures and presentations by the speakers allowed us not only to learn about trends but also to gain concrete tools. The session on personal data was particularly valuable: legislative changes affect every organizer, and now we are ready for the new rules of the game. This knowledge directly impacts how we design stands and build interactions.

Learn more: