Seven Asia partners with HJT International Exhibition

Asia, 16th February: Comexposium Group’s Seven Asia has announced to form a strategic partnership with HJT International Exhibition, a professional exhibition company from China, specialising in international technology and manufacturing exhibitions.

Under the partnership, Seven Asia will acquire a 51% stake, taking on the role of the majority shareholder. The two parties will create a joint venture as a collaborative platform for managing large-scale industrial exhibitions internationally.

The two parties will introduce more innovative exhibition standards and tackle future industry challenges. The collaboration will facilitate international exhibitions, which include China International Brush Industry Exhibition (CIBRUSH) 2027, Interfoam China 2026, and SurfacePME 2026.

Elaine Chia, CEO Asia-Pacific of Comexposium, said, “The Asia-Pacific region, and particularly the Chinese market, plays an important role in Comexposium’s global plan due to the region’s rapidly growing economy and increasing demand for exhibitions and trade shows. This partnership effectively leverages the strengths of all parties and represents a significant path to rapidly implement the group’s localization strategy, while also providing the new joint venture with access to the group’s technology, resources, and global network.”

TCEB unveils strategic direction for MICE industry

Thailand, 13th February: The Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) has unveiled its roadmap to drive Thailand’s MICE industry in 2026, by launching the TCEB Strategic Direction 2026, “From Change that Matters to Impact that Lasts”.

The new strategic harnesses insights from global Brand research to transform Thailand’s core industry strengths into compelling national and regional value proposition. Key highlights will include advancing internationally recognised sustainability standards, strengthening data, intelligence and innovation as key marketing drivers, and enhancing regulatory flexibility through closer collaboration with related government agencies.

TCEB also unveiled its “TCEB Go” strategic into three implementation concepts:

·       Shift for Impact for international markets

·       Change for Growth for domestic markets and destination development, and

·       Meaningful Trust, which focuses on building confidence through recognised standards, services and tangible support system.

TCEB also targets a growth of 10% for Thailand’s MICE industry in 2026, targeting 29.4 million MICE travellers in total, with 28.2 million domestic travellers and 1.2 million international travellers. Total MICE revenues will be Baht 163 billion (US$5.16 billion), which includes Baht 92 billion (US$2.91 billion) from domestic travellers and Baht 71 billion (US$2.25 billion) from international travellers.

Baidu’s revenues down 3% in FY 2025

Beijing, 26th February: Last week, Baidu, the leading search engine in China, announced its financial results for the year ended 31st December 2025. The company reported revenues of US$18 billion, down 3% year-on-year. The company claimed the decrease to the Legacy Business, partially offset by an increase in Baidu Core AI-powered Business.

Net income for the year was US$799 million, compared with the figure of US$3.3 billion last year. Diluted earnings per share for 2025 were RMB 11.78 (US$1.68).

Robin Li, Co-founder and CEO of Baidu, was quoted, “2025 marked a pivotal year as AI became the new core of Baidu. AI Cloud Infra gained strong momentum, with our differentiated full-stack end-to-end AI capabilities earning growing enterprise recognition. Our portfolio of AI applications continued to scale, addressing diverse needs across enterprises and individuals. Apollo Go further reinforced its global leadership, operating at industry-leading scales while accelerating international expansion into new markets. Meanwhile, AI-native Marketing Services continued to grow, unlocking new possibilities for the long term. As our AI-first strategy takes clear shape, we’re confident in our ability to create lasting value in the AI era.”

For the quarter ended 31st December, Baidu reported revenues of US$4.7 billion, up 5% year-on-year. However, net income for the quarter dropped 66%, down to US$255 million.

BOL records increase in revenues and profits

Bangkok, 10th February: Business Online (BOL), a leading online information service provider in Thailand, has recently reported its financial results for the year ended 31st December 2025. Revenue for the year was US$26 million, representing year-on-year increase of 11%. BOL’s net profit for the year grew 5.5%, reaching US$9.2 million. Diluted earnings per share for the year were Baht 0.35 (US$0.011).

More than 93% of BOL’s revenue was generated from its service business, amounting to US$24 million, an increase of 6.4% year-on-year. The remaining revenue was generated from the dividend income (US$1.6 million) and “other income” (US$11,000).

BOL attributed the increase in revenues to the increase income in information services and data & risk management services. The increase in personnel expenses and foreign exchange losses resulted in the increase in net profit.

1,800+ MICE events held in Macau in 2025

Macau, 13th February: Macau’s Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) has released its MICE statistics for the year 2025, reporting a total of 1,861 MICE events were held in Macau in the year, up 22% year-on-year. Meanwhile, the total number of participants and attendees increased by 11%, reaching 1,473,000.

Of the 1,861 MICE events held during the year, 1,737 were meetings and conferences, which grew by 22% year-on-year. The total number of participants at meetings and conferences rose 19%, amounting at 218,000.

A total of 65 exhibitions were held in Macau in 2025, which is 4 exhibitions more than in 2024. The number of attendees was up by 10%, to 1,247,000 attendees. Meanwhile, the total gross area occupied by these exhibitions grew 12% year-on-year, covering a total area of 519,900 m2.

At the same time, DSEC also reported its MICE statistics for the fourth quarter of 2025. A total of 564 MICE events were held in Macau during the quarter, up 21% year-on-year. The total number of participants and attendees jumped 50% from the fourth quarter of 2024, to 487,000. The increase in participants and attendees was primarily due to new large-scale exhibitions were launched in Macau in the quarter.

Quick takes

Messe Frankfurt new partnerships in India

International exhibition organiser, Messe Frankfurt, announced new strategic partnerships to strengthening its portfolio in India. Partnership between Messe Frankfurt Trade Fairs India and BusinessLive Trade Fairs will be able to develop Media Expo. Through the acquisition of five Sign India Expo, Media will be staged at five major exhibition hubs in India.

Comexposium appoints new head in India

Comexposium, France-based international event organiser, has appointed Sajid Desai as its President & Country Head – India, reflecting the company’s strategic expansion in one of the fastest-growing trade and consumption markets. He has more than 30 years of experience in international leadership across events, exhibition, media, and digital platforms. He has held senior leadership positions in various leading exhibition organisers in the world.

New Executive Director of Messe Stuttgart China

Messe Stuttgart announced the appointment of Lisa Moi as its new Executive Director of Nanjing Stuttgart Joint Exhibition Ltd, a Messe Stuttgart subsidiary, effective 1st January 2026. She succeeded Hans Stoter, who has been in the position for seven years. She has over 20 years of experience in the Chinese trade fair business, including holding leadership positions at various international organisers.

HKTDC welcomes the 2026-27 Budget

Last week, the Financial Secretary of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), Paul Chan, released the latest 2026-27 Budget, reflecting the government’s determination and proactive approach to growing the economy, driving development and improving people’s livelihoods. The government will allocate HK$100 million (US$13 million) to attract international, large-scale exhibitions with new elements.

Share price movement in B2B media companies involved in Asia

Figure 1: BSG B2B Media Index vs. All Tracked B2B Stocks (price movement over past 12 months)

Figure 2: BSG B2B Media Index vs. All Tracked B2B Stocks (price movement since January 2026)

MDfA appoints new Regional Head

Singapore, 5th February: Messe Düsseldorf for Asia (MDfA) has appointed Lars Wismer as its Regional Head, succeeding Gernot Ringling, effective 1st February 2026.

Lars Wismer also outlined the importance of Asian markets, discussed strategic opportunities, and explained MDfA’s role as a connecting element within the global Messe Düsseldorf portfolio.

Lars Wismer is experienced in the trade fair and event industry. He has served several positions in the group, building for the new role.

Pico Far East’s revenues up 14%

Hong Kong, 30th January: Hong Kong-listed Pico Far East Holdings reported its annual results for the year ended 31st October 2025. The company posted revenues of US$928 million, up 14% year-on-year. Pico’s net profit posted a growth of 18% during the financial year, reaching US$56 million. Diluted earnings per share for the year were HK$0.3477 (US$0.045).

More than 85% of Pico’s revenues (US$791 million) were generated from its Brand experience activation business, representing year-on-year growth of 7.3%. Other revenues were generated from the Museum & themed environment business (US$118 million), and the Meeting architecture activation business (US$19 million). The Museum & themed environment business jumped 116% over the previous year, however the Meeting architecture activation business dropped 16% year-on-year.

In terms of geographical region, the Greater China (Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan) generated about 33% of total revenues, amounting at US$311 million. The Asia-Pacific market generated revenues of US$242 million, or about 26% of total revenues.

According to the company, it continued to push forward its strategies to build a resilient and growth-sustaining business. The company also continued to solidify its position as a global leader in the brand and event experiential market.

In 2026, China will continue its “One Belt and One Road” initiative in the result of further growth globally.

BESarawak names acting CEO

Sarawak, 4th February: Business Events Sarawak (BESarawak) has appointed Jason Tan Chin Foo as Acting CEO, effective immediately, to succeed CEO Amelia Roziman, who stepped down on 31st January 2026.

Jason Tan Chin Foo has 18 years of experience in hospitality and business events, he has also held senior leadership roles across business development, research, marketing, and communications, building deep institutional knowledge and trust industry relationships.

Hii Chang Kee, Deputy State Secretary (Operations) and Chairman of BESarawak, was quoted, “Jason is well positioned for this role, with strong industry insight and a clear commitment to collaboration and collective impact. The board is confident that his strategic leadership will further strengthen BESarawak and advance the business events industry to new levels of performance and impact.”

Quick takes

TCEB targets business events expenditure to be 371b baht in 2026

The Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) targeted the business events expenditure for 2026 to be 371 billion baht (US$11.7 billion), which will be about 1.8% of GDP contribution. In 2025, business events expenditure was 338 billion baht (US$10.7 billion).

VNU AP hosts cybersecurity event

VNU Asia Pacific organised its Cybersec Asia x Thailand International Cyber Week 2026 (powered by NCSA), co-locating for the first time with AI ASIA. Running from 4th to 5th February 2026, at Queen Sirikit National Convention Center (QSNCC) in Bangkok, the event is targeted to be a landmark reflecting the inseparable future of cybersecurity and artificial intelligence. The event will feature 140 exhibitors and sponsors from 15 countries, occupying an exhibition space of 3,500 m2.

Hyve expands Bett to USA

International exhibition organiser, Hyve Group, announced to expand its Bett portfolio to the U.S. in 2027. Bett USA will be launched in Nashville, under the Bett Global portfolio with Bett UK, Bett Asia and Bett Brazil. Bett, the platform of education technology, bringing together educators, leaders, policy makers and solution providers at scale. The new show reflects growing customer demand for networking and connections, against the backdrop of a continuously evolving sector.

Messe München launches new IFAT Saudi Arabia

International exhibition organiser, Messe München, held its inaugural edition of IFAT Saudi Arabia, serving the waste, water and environmental technologies industries. Taking place at the Riyadh Front Exhibition & Conference Center, from 26th to 28th January 2026, the new event showcased more than 450 exhibitors from over 35 countries, attracting some 20,000 trade visitors. Following the success of the inaugural edition, the next edition of IFAT Saudi Arabia will return to Riyadh, running from 18th to 20th January 2027.

Share price movement in B2B media companies involved in Asia

Figure 1: BSG B2B Media Index vs. All Tracked B2B Stocks (price movement over past 12 months)

Figure 2: BSG B2B Media Index vs. All Tracked B2B Stocks (price movement since January 2026)

UFI: strong growth in exhibition industry

Paris, 29th January: UFI, The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, released its latest edition of the Global Exhibition Barometer report, offering fresh insights into the current state of the exhibition industry.

Almost half of the respondents reported an increase in activity of more than 5% in their domestic market in 2025. One-third of the companies forecasted an annual increase in operating profits of more than 10% in 2026. The report also showed AI usage continued to rise worldwide, and about 37% of the companies considered the necessary to improve the format of exhibitions.

Chris Skeith OBE, Managing Director and CEO at UFI, commented, “This edition of the Global Exhibition Barometer confirms what we are seeing across the industry: strong, steady growth and a sector that continues to adapt at pace. We see solid growth in rented space and operating profits across many markets, alongside a notable acceleration in the use of AI to improve efficiency and customer experience.”

The latest edition of this biannual research was concluded in December 2025 and it featured data from 378 companies in 57 countries and regions. The report included outlooks and analyses covering 19 countries and regions: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, China, Colombia, France, Germany, Greece, India, Italy, Malaysia, Mexico, South Africa, Spain, Thailand, Türkiye, the UAE, the UK, and the USA – as well as five additional aggregated regional zones.

Messe Frankfurt India expands Media Expo

Mumbai, Maharashtra, 2nd February: Messe Frankfurt Trade Fairs India, the Indian subsidiary of the international exhibition organiser, Messe Frankfurt, collaborated with BusinessLive Trade Fairs, to evolve Sign India Expo into Media Expo.

Under the collaboration, Media Expo Kochi and Media Expo Hyderabad will be launched while Sign India Expo Chennai will transit under Media Expo Chennai. Therefore, Media Expo’s portfolio will increase from three cities to five, including Chennai, Hyderabad, Kochi, Mumbai and New Delhi. It also brings together the two exhibition brands from the industry to create a unified and impactful industry trade fair platform.

Media Expo has been held in Mumbai, New Delhi and Chennai, and will become the primarily exhibition platform in Kochi, Hyderabad and Chennai, transitioning from Sign India Expo. While Sign India Expo was held across India, with a particularly deep presence in the Southern markets.

Mr Raj Manek, Executive Director & Board Member, Messe Frankfurt Asia Holdings Ltd, said, said, “South India continues to be one of the most dynamic and opportunity driven regions for the printing and signage industry. This collaboration with BusinessLive Trade Fairs allows us to expand Media Expo’s footprint while offering the industry a stronger, more centralised platform that supports long-term growth and meaningful engagement.”

Messe München’s 25th anniversary in China

Shanghai, 30th January: Messe München’s subsidiary Messe Muenchen Shanghai Co., Ltd posted sales of €128 million (US$150 million) in its 25th anniversary.

Messe München’s two CEOs, Dr. Reinhard Pfeiffer and Stefan Rummel, were quoted, “With the founding of our subsidiary in Shanghai, the shareholders of Messe München took a bold and visionary step at the time. Today, China is not only Messe München’s strongest foreign market, but our local presence also provides important impetus for trade, networking, and growth for the domestic and international economy.”

Messe München Shanghai now has over 170 employees in Shanghai, Beijing and Shenzhen, organising more than 15 events in China, featuring more than 12,000 exhibiting companies and attracting over 1.6 million visitors. On the other side, more than 17,000 guests and over 2,000 exhibitors from China visited Munich.

Quick takes

Haymarket posts £11.5 m profits in FY2025

Haymarket Group released its financial results for the year ended 30th June 2025, reporting the total turnover of £175 million (US$236 million), with annual earnings of £11.5 million (US$15 million). The results also saw positive growth in the UK, a steady performance in Germany, and Asia recording the best performance in over a decade. However, the US profits dropped due to a combination of challenging healthcare market conditions, political elections and the significant impact of fluctuating exchange rates.

IEG expects €265m of revenues in FY2025

Italian Exhibition Group S.p.A. (IEG) released its preliminary results for the 2025 financial year, expecting consolidated revenues of €265 million (US$311 million), increase 6% year-on-year. Adjusted EBITDA will be €71 million (US$83 million), up 9% over the figure in 2024. The company also announced the approval of the 2025-2030 Strategic Plan, to strengthen the path already mapped out, focusing decisively an organic growth through the company’s core business.

Tourism figures for the Philippines, Vietnam and Singapore

The Philippine government positions tourism as a core pillar of national development, aiming at driving inclusive economic growth in the coming years. In 2025, the country recorded 6.5 million foreign visitors and returning overseas Filipinos, generating an estimated 694 billion pesos (US$11.8 billion).

In Vietnam, the country welcomed 21.2 million international travellers and 137 million domestic tourists in 2025, generating US$39 billion. In 2026, Vietnam will continue to expand its e-visa facilities and provide visa exemptions, to attract tourists.

A total of 16.9 million international visitor arrivals to Singapore were recorded in 2025, up 2.3% year-on-year. The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) forecasted international visitor arrivals in 2026 to be between 17 and 18 million, with tourism receipts of S$31.0 billion (US$24.1 billion) to S$32.5 billion (US$25.3 billion).

Melbourne to host world’s largest conference on lung cancer in 2029

Melbourne will host the World Conference on Lung Cancer in 2029, presented by the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) and secured by the Melbourne Convention Bureau (MCB), to study and eradication of lung cancer and other thoracic malignancies. It is estimated to attract more than 6,500 delegates from over 100 countries to the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC).

Share price movement in B2B media companies involved in Asia

Figure 1: BSG B2B Media Index vs. All Tracked B2B Stocks (price movement over past 12 months)

Figure 2: BSG B2B Media Index vs. All Tracked B2B Stocks (price movement since January 2026)

STB and CCPIT sign MoU for exhibition industry

Singapore/China, 22nd January: Last week, the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) and he China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), to cooperate in the exhibition industry.

The three-year agreement focuses on three key areas:

1.     Exhibition Facilitation Support: CCPIT will encourage Chinese exhibition enterprises and institutions to organise international economic and trade exhibitions in Singapore, while STB will provide assistance;

2.     Joint Promotion Efforts: CCPIT and STB will strengthen publicity efforts and promote international exhibitions in key economic sectors where in the two countries share synergies in, to support Singapore and Chinese enterprises expand international cooperation and enhance their global presence;

3.     Deepening MICE Exchange and Cooperation: CCPIT and STB will promote knowledge exchange and explore in-depth cooperation in shared focus areas.

Mr. Wu Shengrong, Director General of the Exhibition Management Department (Office of International Exhibitions Bureau and World Expo Affairs) of the CCPIT, said, “The signing of the Memorandum between the CCPIT and the STB is an important measure to deepen China-Singapore cooperation in the exhibition industry. It holds great significance for strengthening industrial chain ties between China, Singapore and Southeast Asia and boosting regional economic prosperity. It is anticipated that through the practical cooperation between our two institutions, positive contributions will be made to deepening exhibition cooperation in key industries and promoting the development of China-Singapore economic and trade relations.”

GL events posts 5.3% revenue growth in FY2025

Lyon, 22nd January: GL events Group released its preliminary results for the year ended 31st December 2025, posting revenues for the year of €1.7 billion (US$2.02 billion), a year-on-year growth of 5.3%.

In terms of business sectors, more than 56% of revenues were generated from GL events Live, amounting at €969 million (US$1.1 billion), down 5.4% year-on-year.

The second largest sector was GL events Venues, generating revenues of €514 million (US$604 million), representing year-on-year increase of 16%, primarily driven by operations in France, Europe and Brazil.

The remaining revenues, €238 million (US$280 million), were generated by GL events Exhibitions, jumping 41.5% over the previous year due to a strong biennial cycle.

Olivier Ginon, Chairman-CEO of GL events, commented, “GL events closes 2025 with a remarkable performance, confirming the strength of our strategic vision and the proven resilience of our responsible business model. This achievement would not have been possible without the dedication and talent of our teams. In an international environment marked by heightened volatility, they demonstrated outstanding agility and determination, delivering sustainable, well-managed growth.”

SMHCC to open new venues in Philippines

Philippines, 21st January: SM Hotels and Conventions Corp.’s (SMHCC) SMX Seaside Cebu and SMXCITE (SMX Center for International Trade and Exhibitions) are scheduled to open in the next few years.

SMX Seaside Cebu will open in the fourth quarter this year, with an exhibition capacity of 18,000 m2, which will be integrated into the larger Cebu South Coast City development.

SMXCITE will open in 2027, with 35,000 m2 of integrated complex, including an 18,000 m2 of exhibition capacity, at the SMX Mall of Asia. It will boast column-free halls, multi-event capacity, and expanded plenary capacity within a highly accessible district.

Walid Wafik, SMHCC’s senior vice president for operations, was quoted, “While regional competitors maintain larger inventories, Pasay’s advantage is integration. The district’s mix of hotels, retail, entertainment, an arena, bay-side lifestyle offerings, and airport proximity delivers a compelling value proposition beyond venue size alone… As we expand to 10 venues nationwide by 2027, this capability-building arm becomes even more critical. Growth in the provinces requires not only world‑class facilities but world‑class talent to operate them.”