The 60th edition of the biennial UITP World Congress & Exhibition ended May 30 with figures that show that the global movement for sustainable mobility is gaining significant ground.
There were 2,097 participants from 78 countries came to Geneva to learn from each other and share innovative solutions that will help transform urban mobility in the years to come.
The number of participants represents a 34 percent increase compared to the 2011 edition in Dubai. The Mobility & City Transport Exhibition — running alongside the Congress — received some 25,000 visitors across the 30,000 square meters of exhibition space and also saw a considerable increase in the number of exhibitors: 326 in Geneva, almost 30 percent more than in Dubai.
“The fact that 2097 people from 78 countries came together in Geneva shows not only that sustainable mobility is a rapidly expanding industry but that it’s also a motor for economic growth and job creation,” said UITP Secretary General, Alain Flausch. “A further 7 million jobs in public transport operating companies alone could be created all over the world if we achieve our objective of doubling the market share of public transport by 2025. The figures from Geneva are thus greatly encouraging for the whole sustainable mobility industry.”
In Geneva, UITP also launched the worldwide ‘Grow with Public Transport’ action which will take place from Sept. 16-22. UITP members all around the world will all display the same "Grow with Public Transport" message on trams, buses, metro stations and websites at the same time to show that there is a united world movement to make cities better places to work and live. About 240 applications from over 40 countries for the first Grow with Public Transport Awards in Geneva illustrated the momentum already behind the movement.
The next stop for the global sustainable mobility movement is Italy. In Geneva, UITP officially handed over the UITP flag to Milan where the 61st edition of the event will take place in June 2015.
