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news exhibition newsexhibitionnews.co.uk June 2011 13international newsCzech industry fears unified VATsAuDi ARAbiA - Reed Exhibitions has entered the international race for the Saudi exhibitions market by signing a strategic partnership with Sunaidi Expo, a subsidiary of Saudi's Alfadl Group.It is Reed's first step into the Saudi market and will be followed by the launch of a number of international events in Jeddah from 2012.Jeddah, considered Saudi Arabia's trade centre, has seen a great deal of development in recent years as part of efforts to reinforce its economic role. Important projects underway in the city include the King Abdul Aziz airport and the Jeddah Islamic Port, the main import destination for Saudi Arabia, handling almost two thirds of its imports by sea.President of Reed Exhibitions Middle East Frederic Theux said the Saudi market, being the biggest in the region, is of key importance for Reed's future business in the region.Reed joins saudi Arabi raceAsiA - UBM Asia has acquired the business and assets of AMB Exhibitions and AMB Events in Malaysia, Vietnam and the Philippines.The acquired company organises five exhibitions in Malaysia and Vietnam, with four new events planned for this year including three in the Philippines and one in Vietnam. The shows serve the water, livestock, energy and mechanical/electrical industries. AMB's two largest shows are AsiaWater and ASEAN M&E Expo, which accounted for two-thirds of the company's US$4m (£2.47m) revenue in 2010.Company founder Siow Kwang Vian will stay as a consultant along with a team of 15 staff. AMB is based in Malaysia.UBM has interests in the core industries served by AMB's shows and complementary footprints in three of the region's fastest growing economies: The Philippines, Malaysia and Vietnam.UBM acquires Asian organiser AMBMesse Munich partners for thai construction fairBreaking news from around the worldthAiLAnD - Messe Munich International has partnered with Impact Exhibition Management Company for construction trade fair Constech."Thailand is the second-largest sales market for construction machinery in Southeast Asia," said Messe Munich MD Eugen Egetenmeir (pictured). The next Constech takes place from 22 to 24 September 2011 at the Impact Exhibition and Convention Center in Bangkok. The event is supported by one of Thailand's leading associations for construction machinery manufacturers, the Thai Contractors Association, and covers 5,000sqm. "The further international expansion of our trade fairs is a strategic goal of Messe Munich," Egetenmeir said. "We will be consistently stepping up our activities outside Germany."cZech RePubLic - Unifying Value Added Tax (VAT) rates at 20 per cent could have a negative impact on Czech international exhibitions and events if new economic proposals are ratified. The current lowered VAT rate for food, medicines, accommodations, books, public transport, culture and social care is 10 per cent, while basic VAT stands at 20 per cent. Unifying VAT could push hotel prices to new highs, adding costs to events held in the country. Prague is home to the Incheba and Letnany Exhibition Centres, with both venues looking for investment to bring it in line with more modern European competitors.The rise in VAT rates on accommodation services would cause "great problems" to Czech incoming tourism, said spokesman of the association of Czech travel agencies (ACCKA) Tomio Okamura.Longer term, finance raised by the increased rates could be used to help grow the MICE sector in the Czech capital.trade associations come together for Ces 2012usA - The Photo Marketing Association International (PMA) has partnered with the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), owner and producer of International CES.The decision will see the PMA combine its September 2011 PMA International Convention and Trade Show (CliQ 2011) with the 2012 edition of International CES, scheduled for 10 to 13 January in Las Vegas. The PMA event will now trade within CES as PMA@CES. PMA offers industry-specific content and display products representing all aspects of digital imaging. It also offers educational seminars, complementing and enhancing CES programming. "PMA's co-location with CES creates a great opportunity for our combined audiences to learn from each other and take full advantage of the integration and connectivity of personal content and home entertainment," said executive director of PMA Ted Fox.