After considering revised bids from both locations, the offer from Hong Kong would offer savings in direct costs to exhibitors of between 30% and 50% depending on the size of stands, compared with Geneva.

" Despite significant cost reductions in both offers, the one from Hong Kong gives a clear and distinct advantage to both the event stakeholders and ITU", said Yoshio Utsumi, director general of the ITU.

The organization has responded to complaints from exhibitors and visitors about the costs of exhibition space and the arrangements and costs for hotel accommodation in Geneva, and late March short listed Geneva and Hong Kong to hold the event in 2006.

The deadline for the submission of the final bids was 28 May 2004.

In addition to the lower indirect costs such as sub-contractor rates and better hotel rates, 'sizeable' guarantees offered by Hong Kong concerning the minimum level of floor space to be purchased by Chinese companies seems to have swung the choice in Hong Kong's favor.

The ITU also wanted, and needed, to send a signal to the industry of its willingness to listen to its customers, and to change. The desire to rotate the Telecom World events also played a part in the decision. The ITU is now considering holding a European exhibition and conference during 2006. The first Telecom Europa was held in 1992 in Budapest, Hungary, but was not staged again since the World event was also taking place in Europe. The next world event is scheduled for 2009, the venue of which will be selected following a new call for bids.

By: DocMemory
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