Sands expands Marina Bay resort

Singapore, 17th July: Sands announced expansion of its Marina Bay resort in Singapore, with a cost of US$8 billion.

After completion, the resort will include a 570-suite hotel tower, rooftop dinning, retail space, a casino, spa and wellness facilities, and meeting space of about 18,600 m2. In addition, a 15,000-seat arena will be built alongside the tower to host regional and international live events.

Sands chairman and CEO, Robert Goldstein, was quoted, “Our new development will raise the bar and redefine the ultra-luxury hospitality realm on a global scale… we look forward to forging a new chapter together and continuing to contribute meaningfully to Singapore’s future success.”

Informa Markets’ revenues post 10% up in half year

London, 23rd July: Earlier this week, London-listed Informa PLC released its financial results for the six months ended 30th June 2025. Revenues in the first half were £2.04 billion (US$2.8 billion), representing an underlying increase of 7.8%. Adjusted operating profit in the six months was £579 million (US$795 million), representing growth of 9.2%.

Informa’s event business, Informa Markets, generated revenues of £952 million (US$1.3 billion) during the period, an increase of 10%. The Live B2B Events business (Informa Markets, Informa Connect, and Informa Festival) generated revenues of £1.5 billion (US$2.1 billion), with adjusted operating profit of £468 million (US$643 million).

Informa’s remaining revenues were generated from Taylor & Francis (£329 million, or US$451 million), and Informa TechTarget (£172 million, or US$236 million).

Stephen A. Carter, Group Chief Executive, Informa PLC, said, “Informa is further increasing the pace of performance, delivering 20%+ growth in our four key performance measures: Revenues, Profits, Earnings and Free Cash Flow. Informa is built around world class Brands, leading International market positions, First Party Data and, most importantly, Colleagues with specialist expertise and a passion to deliver for customers.”

GL events Exhibitions’ revenues jump 52% in H1 2025

Lyon, 23rd July: GL events has also released its financial results for the six months ended 30th June 2025. It reported revenues of €889 million (US$1.05 billion), representing year-on-year growth of 8%.

In terms of business sectors, GL events Exhibitions, with revenues of €172 million (US$203 million), recorded year-on-year growth of 52%. GL events Venues’ revenues increased by 23% year-on-year, reaching €258 million (US$304 million). However, GL events Live generated revenues of €459 million (US$541 million), down 8% year-on-year.

The company attributed the growth of revenues in GL events Exhibitions to a favourable biennial effect, growth in other major trade exhibitions, and the beginning of a recovery in Première Vision trade shows.

Olivier Ginon, Chairman-CEO of GL events Group, commented, “GL events performed well in the first half, buoyed by its strong fundamentals, the relevance of its global strategy and the unwavering commitment of its employees around the world. Our financial performance highlights the benefits of combining the strengths of our complementary services and the robustness of our business model for achieving sustainable growth. And by leveraging its powerful growth drivers, GL events has further strengthened its position.”

Quick takes

UFI announces theme for 92nd UFI Global Congress

UFI, The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, announced its official theme for the 92nd UFI Global Congress: “Shaping the Future”. The congress will take place from 19th to 22nd November 2025 in Hong Kong SAR, uniting leaders from across the global exhibition industry.

AIPC’s 2025 Board

The International Association of Convention Centres (AIPC) announced its new composition of the Board for 2025 – a team of leaders set to guide the association through another year of innovation, collaboration, and excellence: Julianne Jammers, SwissTech Convention Center – President; Taubie Motlhabane, Cape Town International Convention Centre – Vice President; Ross Steele, Te Pae Christchurch – Treasurer; Gabor Ganczer, HUNGEXPO – Director; Greg Newton, Calgary BMO Centre – Director; Maurits van der Sluis, RAI Amsterdam – Director; John Burke, Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre – Director.

16,000+ visitors at Print Expo Chennai

Jointly organised by Messe Frankfurt Trade Fairs India Pvt Ltd and Showcase Trade Fairs and Business Media Pvt Ltd, Print Expo Chennai was collocated with Media Expo Chennai, organised by Messe Frankfurt Trade Fairs India Pvt Ltd. The co-located events in 2025 showcased a total of 185 exhibitors, presenting printing, signage and branding solutions, and attracting 16,089 visitors from 262 Indians cities, 27 states and union territories and 22 countries.

HKTDC’s Book Fair attracts nearly 900,000 visits despite typhoon

The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) concluded three events this week: the 35th Hong Kong Book Fair, 8th Sports and Leisure Expo and 5th World of Snacks, featuring more than 770 exhibitors and combining the fun of reading, sports, leisure and food. The three events attracted 890,000 visits although the passage of the typhoon forced a full-day closure on 20th July.

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 2025)

ABEA appoints new Board of Directors

Australia, 8th July: The Australian Business Events Association (ABEA) announced the appointment of its new Board of Directors, Colette Baini, effective immediately.

Colette Baini, who is the Founder and CEO of The Conference Room and Australia Conferences & Incentives, is renowned for innovative design of incentive travel, conferences, special events, and destination management across Australia.

The association has recently merged the Supplier Pillar with the WH&S and Risk Management Interest Groups, with the appointment of Damien Gaffney as Chair of the combined group. In addition, ABEA has also appointed Dan Morahan as Chair of the Queensland Chapter, Hannah Von Bibra as Chair of Victoria, and Jessie Rayson as Chair for Northern Territory. Jessica Zicker will lead Sustainability of the Special Interest Groups, Toni McAllister will be the Chair for Education, Skills & Pathways to Industry, and Andrew Cook will be Emerging Leaders.

Peter King, Chair of ABEA, said, “We warmly welcome Colette Baini to the ABEA Board. She represents an important perspective of our industry. Colette is very well regarded and brings enormous expertise experience and passion. As we celebrate our second anniversary, ABEA continues to enjoy strong interest and active participation from all sectors of the industry. The calibre of talent across our chapters, pillars, and special interest groups is truly impressive, and many industry professionals are eager to contribute their time to the ongoing development of our industry.”

31,000 professionals at ISPO Shanghai 2025

Shanghai, 8th July: Organised by Messe München Shanghai (MM-SH), ISPO Shanghai 2025 concluded at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre (SNIEC), attracting 31,077 professional buyers and sports enthusiasts from 72 countries and regions.

ISPO Shanghai 2025 featured a total of 634 brands from about 30 countries and regions, presenting over 10,000 innovative products. Under the theme of “Sports · Fashion · Health”, the event ran from 4th to 6th July.

Pang Dan, Head of ISPO China, commented, “As health becomes a lifestyle and sports transcend scene boundaries, the industry's new power is rising. ISPO is committed to cultivating this fertile ground – enabling professionals and the public to engage, and ensuring trade and experience thrive together.”

JAS 2025 features 500+ exhibitors

Jaipur, 17th July: Jaipur’s leading B2B jewellery exhibition, Jewellers Association Show (JAS) 2025, was held from 4th to 6th July, at the Jaipur Exhibition & Convention Centre (JECC).

The theme of this year’s event was “Connect to Source”, highlighting direct engagement between artisans, manufacturers, and buyers. Over 500 exhibitors showcased a spectacular array of gemstones, gold, diamond, silver, and Kundan-Meena jewellery. More than 21,00 trade visitors from across India and abroad.

The Novotel Jaipur Convention Centre, located in Sitapura, Jaipur, 15-minute drive from Jaipur International Airport. JECC is connected to the Novotel Jaipur Convention Centre, one of the largest pillarless exhibition, convention, and entertainment venues, spanning 42 acres. It has two pillarless halls, covering 106,372 sq. ft. (9,882 m2), with a seating capacity of over 18,000.

Quick takes

Hyve grows behavioral health portfolio

Hyve Group announced the acquisition of Behavioral Health Tech, bringing together the largest and most forward-thinking community of behavioral health payors, health systems, providers, digital health innovators, government leaders, and funders in the U.S.

NürnbergMesse posts record-breaking sales in 2024

International exhibition organiser, NürnbergMesse, posted record-breaking sales of €368 million (US$383 million) in 2024. During the year, the company organised 154 events worldwide, featuring 33,196 exhibitors and 1.6 million visitors, with a display area of 1.2 million m2. For 2025, the company expected a consolidated revenues of €350 million (US$364 million), despite the lower number of events in 2025.

Build4Asia 2025 opens in Hong Kong

Build4Asia 2025, the leading innovative security, building and electrical exhibition in Asia, organised by Informa Markets Asia, opened at AsiaWorld-Expo (AWE) in Hong Kong, running from 15th to 17th July, bringing together cutting-edge technology, special forums and abundant business opportunities. More than 600 brands showcased more than 2,000 advanced solutions, expected to attract about 6,000 industry professionals worldwide.

Messe Frankfurt opens PrintExpo Chennai

PrintExpo Chennai, co-located with MediaExpo Chennai, opened its doors at the Chennai Trade Centre for print and digital solutions tailored to meet the demands of the OOH advertising, signage and branding industry. Organised by Messe Frankfurt Trade Fairs India, a total of 185 exhibitors were showcased at the co-located events, serving as a business and networking platform, bringing together printers, printing equipment machinery manufacturers, advertising agencies and marketers, brand managers, and more.

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 2025)

RX announces new JV in Thailand

Bangkok, 8th July: London-based international exhibition organiser, RX Global, announced a new joint venture with BHIRAJ BURI GROUP (BBG) and owner of the Bangkok International Trade and Exhibition Centre (BITEC), to launch RX BITEC.

Through operating a portfolio of industry-leading events in Thailand, RX BITEC aims to support exhibitors and attendees by offering cutting-edge solutions, seamless execution, and unmatched customer service. The new JV will drive measurable value for customer through creativity and operational excellence, supporting them to build their businesses sustainably and over time.

RX CEO Hugh Jones, said, “We’re thrilled to partner with BHIRAJ BURI GROUP in Thailand, a market full of potential and energy.  By combining the complementary strengths of RX and BHIRAJ BURI GROUP, our goal is to empower our clients with smarter, more impactful event experiences by leveraging our combined international expertise and local insight. RX BITEC will ensure consistent quality, innovation, and scalability for events of all sizes for businesses to thrive in the future.”

Messe Frankfurt posts records in FY2024

Frankfurt, 2nd July: Messe Frankfurt, international exhibition organiser, posted new records in its 2024 Annual Report. The sales were €775 million (US$806 million), with consolidated annual net income of €82 million (US$85 million).

According to the company, about 44% of sales were from outside Germany, amounting to €343 million (US$357 million). Messe Frankfurt hosted a total of 348 events worldwide, attracting approximately 4.6 million visitors. Of the 348 events, 153 were trade fairs and exhibitions, which featured more than 98,000 exhibiting companies.

In 2025, the company will further expand its market lead and to safeguard its quality and global growth in the long term by investing further in its digital and sustainable transformation.

Wolfgang Marzin, President and Chief Executive Officer of Messe Frankfurt, commented, “Today, Messe Frankfurt is more stable and successful than ever before. The excellent financial results in 2024 reflect the Group’s performance and proven strategic orientation – even under challenging market conditions. We have scope for financing our own investments and will make use of our growth opportunities accordingly. We have held dynamic events with very high satisfaction levels and an equally high international component. Our customers are building on personal interaction and remain networked internationally in spite of – and very much because of – the complex global economic situation.”

Baidu appoints new CFO

Beijing, 1st July: Baidu, a leading AI company with Internet foundation in China, appointed Mr. Haijian He as its new Chief Financial Officer, effective immediately.

Prior joining Baidu, Mr. Haijian He has served as Executive Director and Chief Financial Officer at Kingsoft Cloud Holdings Limited since January 2020. He received his bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in electronic engineering from Southeast University and an MBA from University of Chicago, and completed Advanced Management Program (AMP) at Harvard Business School. He is also a Charter Financial Analyst charter holder.

In addition, Mr. Junjie He will step down from Interim Chief Financial Officer and assume to be Senior Vice President in charge of human resources and administrative functions; Ms. Shanshan Cui will serve as Secretary General to the Organizational Cultural Committee of Baidu.

Mr. Robin Yanhong Li, Baidu’s Co-founder and CEO, was quoted, “We are delighted to welcome Mr. Haijian He to our management team. He brings a proven track record of outstanding leadership in driving business growth, enhancing operational quality, and strengthening corporate governance. We look forward to working closely with him and are confident that his skills and experiences will contribute to Baidu’s next phase of growth. We also extend our sincere appreciation to Mr. Junjie He and Ms. Shanshan Cui for their contributions. We believe their extensive management experience will continue to be invaluable in their new roles.”

HKTB appoints Anthony Lau as new Executive Director

Hong Kong, 2nd July: The Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) announced the appointment of Mr Anthony Lau its new Executive Director, with effect from 4th August 2025, as successor to Mr Dane Cheng.

Mr Lau previously served as HKTB Executive Director between 2007 and 2019. Since October 2023, he has been the Director of the Hong Kong Talent Engage, an office under the Labour and Welfare Bureau of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

Dr Peter Lam, HKTB Chairman, stated, “Mr Lau brings with him extensive experience in tourism and marketing, along with excellent leadership and governance capabilities, making him an ideal candidate for the role of Executive Director. I have confidence in Mr Lau that he will lead the HKTB team in close collaboration with the industry and various stakeholders to bring the tourism industry to new heights in the direction mapped out in the Development Blueprint for Hong Kong’s Tourism Industry 2.0, consolidate Hong Kong’s reputation as a world-class tourism destination with diverse experiences, and maximise the contribution of the tourism industry to Hong Kong.”

Quick takes

UFI Global Congress to Mexico in 2027

UFI, The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, announced its 94th UFI Global Congress will be held in Guadalajara, Mexico, running from 3rd to 6th November 2027, and will be hosted by the Guadalajara Convention and Visitors Bureau. The UFI Global Congress is the exhibition industry’s leading annual event, bringing together industry leaders from around the world to network, exchange ideas, and shape the future of the sector. Each year, the UFI Global Congress is held in a different region, reflecting UFI’s global footprint: Cologne (2024), Hong Kong (2025), and Bahrain (2026).

IMPACT wins 2025 UFI HR Award

UFI, The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, continued to release the winner of its awards. The winner of the 2025 UFI HR Award is IMPACT Exhibition Management. The topic of the 2025 UFI HR Award was “Optimising Workload for Sustainable Performance”, with the objective of celebrating initiatives the implement innovative solutions to balance workload, improve resource allocation, and creative environments where employees thrive while maintaining high performance. The winners of the 2025 UFI Awards will be officially celebrated and will present their projects at the 92nd UFI Global Congress, running from 19th to 22nd November 2025, in Hong Kong SAR.

Comexposium announces new CEO

Comexposium appointed Pablo Nakhlé Cerruti as its new CEO, effective 25th August 2025. He will succeed Renaud Hamaide, who has led the company since 2010. Pablo Nakhlé Cerruti graduated from Sciences Po Strasbourg and the School of Economic Warfare.

17,000+ professionals at 2025 Asia Agri-Tech Expo

Organised by Informa Markets, the 2025 Asia Agri-Tech Expo & Forum (AAT), running from 11th to 13th June, at the Tainan Exhibition Center, attracted more than 17,000 professional buyers from Taiwan and abroad. Under the themes of “Sustainability, Innovation, and Food Safety”, the event focused on three key technology sectors: smart agricultural machinery, automated livestock farming, and aquaculture. More than 150 domestic and international exhibitors presented the latest trends and practical applications for the upgrading of agriculture, fisheries, and livestock industries.

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 2025)

Messe Düsseldorf launches India Competence Centre

Düsseldorf & India, 27th June: International exhibition organiser, Messe Düsseldorf, and the Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK – German) jointly launched India Competence Centre Düsseldorf (IKD – German).

IKD will be a central point of contact for all matters related to the Indian market. It is targeted to support to Indian companies opening offices in Düsseldorf while facilitating access to the Indian growth market for Düsseldorf-based companies.

IHK President, Andreas Schmitz, said, “India has one of the most dynamic economies in the world. With the new India Competence Centre, we’re making a clear statement about the strategic trajectory of our foreign trade relations. In geopolitically challenging times, it’s particularly crucial to promote the diversification of sales and procurement markets. The IKD will work to support our member companies as a competent partner.”

Pico Far East’s revenues up 18%

Hong Kong, 27th June: Last week, Hong Kong-listed Pico Far East Holdings announced its interim results for the six months ended 30th April 2025. Revenues were US$447 million, a year-on-year increase of 18%. Profits in the six-month period grew 11%, reaching US$27 million. Diluted earnings per share in the first half of the financial year were HK$0.1703 (US$0.022).

In terms of business segments, more than 88% of Pico’s revenues were generated from its exhibition, event & brand activation business (US$394 million), which was up 20% year-on-year. The company attributed the growth to the completion of the COP29 project for the United Nation during the reported period.

The remaining revenues were generated from its museum & themed entertainment business (US$34 million), visual branding activation business (US$13 million), and meeting architecture activation business (US$6.0 million).

Revenues from the museum & themed entertainment business jumped 44%. The increase was due to the company maintained stable growth in business volume with a full pipeline of projects in Saudi Arabia and Asia, and also the success in ensuring smooth delivery of several major projects.

However, the revenues from the meeting architecture activation business dropped by 20%, and the visual branding activation business decreased by 35% year-on-year. The economic uncertainty and a struggling property market have slowed growth in China’s automotive sector, reducing the rate of new showroom openings, in the result of the decrease in Pico’s visual branding activation business. While the decrease in the meeting architecture activation business was mainly due to the extraordinary income from the divestment of InfocommAsia in Singapore recorded in the previous year.

Koelnmesse posts strong results for 2024

Cologne, 27th June: International exhibition organiser Koelnmesse, released its financial results for 2024, with a turnover of €365.8 million (US$381 million), and a profit of €21.3 million (US$22 million).

In 2024, the company organised a total of 76 events in Cologne and worldwide, welcoming more than 2.1 million visitors from 197 countries. Over 34,500 exhibiting companies from 106 nations showcased their products and services at the events. The company launched eight new events during the year and significantly expanded existing trade formats. Since 2023, the company has already organised 21 new trade fairs abroad, and nine more will be held in 2025.

Gerald Böse, CEO of Koelnmesse GmbH, was quoted, “Our growth shows that those who invest courageously, remain innovative and consistently focus on the future will be rewarded even in a challenging market environment. We create value for our partners, exhibitors, and visitors – both at our own trade fair grounds in Cologne and worldwide.”

In 2025, Koelnmesse will host a total of 82 events, including 60 of its own events. Of which, 39 trade fairs are to be held abroad.

Messe München records results for 2024

München, 27th June: Messe München, a world’s leading exhibition organiser, posted a record results for the financial year 2024, generating consolidated sales of €488 million (US$508 million), without bauma. The annual net income was €70 million (73 million).

The company’s trade centre hosted a total 16 events in 2024, and 93 guest events contributed to its business, attracting some 1.3 million visitors. The company organised a total of 47 events abroad, featuring 22,660 exhibitors and about 1.2 million visitors.

In China, almost one million visitors attended 25 events at Messe Muenchen Shanghai and its venues in 2024, meeting more than 16,000 exhibiting companies. While in India, Messe Muenchen India doubled its sales in 2024 over the previous year.

The two CEOs Dr. Reinhard Pfeiffer and Stefan Rummel presented, “Both sales and income have reached new heights for our group. Thanks to a clear strategic focus and a healthy core business, Messe München is growing from its own resources in Germany and abroad, even in this challenging economic and global environment.”

In 2025, Messe München expects sales to exceeding €500 million (US$520 million), attracting around 2.5 million visitors.