Messe Frankfurt partners to co-organise Notes Shanghai

/

Shanghai, 29th May: International exhibition organiser, Messe Frankfurt, announced a strategic partnership between Messe Frankfurt (Shenzhen) Co Ltd. and Notes Shanghai Exhibition Co Ltd, to co-organise Notes Shanghai, a leading trade fair dedicated to China’s niche fragrance sector.

The partnership will enhance Messe Frankfurt’s global trade fair expertise and prestigious Beautyworld network, and also Notes Shanghai’s in-depth industry knowledge and local connections. Under the partnership, it is targeted to enhance the event’s international influence, foster new business opportunities, and support the rapid growth of China’s fragrance industry.

The event is scheduled to run from 16th to 19th October 2025, at the West Bund International Convention and Exhibition Center in Shanghai. The event will feature over 200 exhibitors from more than 20 countries and regions, occupying 5,000 m2 of exhibition space, showcasing the unique scent philosophies. It is expected to attract over 16,000 visitors and professional buyers, including perfume and cosmetics retailers, department stores, distributors, agents, e-commerce platforms, social media influencers, and fragrance enthusiasts.

Mr Edward Che, General Manager at Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd, commented, “This partnership represents an exciting milestone for us, marking Messe Frankfurt’s first trade fair dedicated to the fragrance and beauty sector in China. By harnessing our comprehensive industry resources and market knowledge through our consumer goods and beauty network, we aim to fulfil the needs of both industry players and consumers. With our global expertise, we aspire to attract more international brands, fostering industry innovation, amplifying the event's worldwide appeal, and provide a premium platform that connects exhibitors with brands and fragrance lovers.”

Hong Kong hosts 121 exhibitions in 2024

/

Hong Kong, 4th June: The Hong Kong Exhibition & Convention Industry Association (HKCEIA) highlighted the exhibitions and trade show businesses in Hong Kong are facing labour shortage and global tensions.

According to HKECIA, Hong Kong hosted 121 large-scale exhibitions in 2024, including 80 trade or trade-consumer events, which is an increase of 9.6% from 2023. The total number of exhibitors was nearly 52,000, up 13.9%; while visitor numbers grew by 4.5%, to over 1.46 million.

Chairman Stuart Bailey, highlighted, “Despite the progress made, challenges remain. Exhibitor space rentals declined by 6.8% as companies scaled back spending due to global economic uncertainty. While the total number of exhibitions has nearly recovered to pre-Covid levels, exhibitor and visitor participation lags behind 2019 figures by 25.1% and 21.3%, respectively. Nonetheless, there are encouraging signs. Visitor numbers from mainland China rose by 21% year-on-year, even surpassing 2019 levels. This growth was fuelled by the excellent transport infrastructure within the Greater Bay Area and Hong Kong’s enduring attractiveness to mainland businesses.”

Messe München partners to launch project cargo platform

/

Munich/London, 30th May: Messe München’s transport logistic exhibition series, transport logistic, announced a strategic partnership with Heavy Lift & Project Forwarding International (HLPFI), aiming at elevating the visibility and networking potential of the heavy lift, breakbulk and project cargo sector.

The highlight of the partnership is the exhibition area that will debut across international transport logistic trade fairs, including the events in Singapore, Miami, Mumbai, Shanghai, Istanbul, and Nairobi. Under the partnership, HLPFI will support international sales efforts and take the lead in curating a targeted conference programme, bringing top-tier expertise and insights to the event, while transport logistic will deliver their global reach, operational excellence, and an outstanding visitor experience.

Dr. Robert Schönberger, Global Industry Lead transport logistic exhibitions at Messe München, was quoted, “With project cargo, we’re extending our portfolio to address a vital segment of the logistics chain. Together with HLPFI, we are creating a new meeting point that sets a global benchmark for excellence in heavy and project transport.”

Quick takes

/

UFI elects President for 2026-27

UFI, The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, announced Wolfram Diener (President & CEO, Messe Düsseldorf Group) has been elected by the UFI Board of Directors as the UFI President for the 2026-27 term. Diener will join the UFI Presidential Trio as Incoming President in November 2025 and will become President in November 2026 at the 93rd UFI Global Congress in Bahrain. The UFI Presidential Trio for the November 2025 – November 2026 term will be: Panittha Buri (Vice-Chairperson, Bhiraj Buri Group), President; Hugh Jones (CEO, RX), Outgoing President; and Wolfram Diener, Incoming President.

Informa TechTarget’s revenues up 13% in FY2024

TechTarget, Inc., now under Informa, released its full year results for 2024, with reported revenue of US$285 million, which is a year-on-year 13% increase. However, the company widened its GAAP net loss to US$117 million, which reflected the small contribution period of TechTarget, acquisition and integration costs, and non-cash impairments at the point of combination.

ICC Sydney to host 63 exhibitions in 2025

International Convention Centre Sydney (ICC Sydney) announced the venue will welcome more than 618,000 attendees to 63 exhibitions in 2025. The venue hosts exhibitions representative of New South Wales and Australia’s broader economy, reflecting business and community interests. In addition, several creative, innovative and entertaining exhibitions will be added to the venue’s portfolio.

Informa Markets launches F&B conference

Informa Markets, the world’s leading exhibition organiser, will launch FutureFWD – Hospitality, Food & Beverage, in part of its F&B series of event: Food & Hospitality Malaysia (FHM), on 25th September 2025, at EQ Kuala Lumpur, focusing on the rapid transformation impacting Asia’s food, beverage, and hospitality sectors.