The Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) once again demonstrated its excellence on the global stage. On October 29, 2024, President & CEO Simon Wang received the Premier Accredited Member Award from WTCA Chairman John Drew during the WTCA Member Forum in New York. TAITRA earned full certifications in four key categories: "Business & Member Services," "Trade Development," "Real Estate," and "Conference & Exhibition Services." Among more than 300 WTCA members worldwide, TAITRA became the third to achieve certification in all four areas, a distinction reserved for Premier Accredited Member.
TAITRA’s role as a venue operator began in 1986 when it was entrusted by the Ministry of Economic Affairs to manage the exhibition hall in Taipei's Xinyi District. Since then, TAITRA has expanded its operations, becoming the only WTCA member in 2012 to achieve full certification in all eight "Best Practice" categories. TAITRA has since managed several key venues, including the Taipei International Convention Center (since 1992), Nangang Exhibition Hall 1 (since 2008), Nangang Exhibition Hall 2 (since 2019), and will soon add the Taichung International Exhibition Center in 2025. These milestones have established TAITRA as Taiwan's largest national venue operator.
Wang emphasized that the recent WTCA certification, under the updated 2021 standards, reaffirmed TAITRA’s nearly 40 years of excellence in convention and exhibition services, as well as venue management. This achievement underscores TAITRA’s international recognition in promoting trade and managing world-class venues, and is a testament to the trust placed in the organization by the government.
The WTCA Member Forum, held this year from October 27 to 29, focused on key topics such as innovation, AI applications, and leadership, attracting World Trade Center members from around the globe for learning and collaboration. A highlight of the event was the award ceremony, where WTCA both promoted its updated 2021 accreditation standards and honored certified members with the highest recognition for their achievements.