JNTO appoints executive director in Singapore

Japan, 19th September: Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) appointed Kenji Yoshida as Executive Director of its Singapore Office, effective 12th September 2025. He succeeded Takuya Shiraishi, who has returned to JNTO headquarters in Tokyo.

Yoshida will oversee JNTO’s initiatives in Singapore and work with local stakeholders to strengthen tourism links between Singapore and Japan. Joined JNTO headquarters in 2016, he has served as Executive Director at JNTO Hanoi Office.

Yoshida was quoted, “Moving forward, I would like to use the acquired experience to contribute and establish friendly relationships between Singapore and Japan through tourism.”

10,000 attendees at new Organic Festa Asia

Shanghai, 23rd September: Organised by Messe Düsseldorf (Shanghai) Co., Ltd and supported by IFOAM-Organics Asia, the inaugural Organic Festa Asia (OFA) 2025 concluded with nearly 10,000 attendees.

Running at Shanghai New International Expo Centre (SNIEC), OFA 2025 was held from 3rd to 5th September 2025, bringing together 234 exhibitors from 13 countries and regions, occupying an exhibition space of 7,500 m2.

OFA 2025 featured four international pavilions, from Vietnam, India, Indonesia, and Korea, as well as six government delegations from across China introduced regional specialities. The key focuses included “Sustainable Fashion Zone” and “Vitality Aesthetics Space”, which provided immersive experiences linking organic living with clothing, food, and lifestyle. Apart from the exhibition, OFA 2025 also held more than 50 forums and conferences, bringing together over 70 experts.

Ms. Evian Gu, General Manager of Messe Düsseldorf (Shanghai) Co., Ltd, stated, “The debut of OFA delivered results that exceeded expectations. The volume of on-site transactions and partnerships far surpassed forecasts, proving both the commercial value of OFA and the healthy development of the organic ecosystem. Today’s success is only the starting point – we aim to grow OFA into a vital gateway for the Asian organic industry to reach the global market.”

Quick takes

New Transformation Project Manager at GES EMEA

GES EMEA announced the appointment of Jess Metcalfe as Transformation Project Manager with a particular focus on expanding the business and strengthening its presence in new territories. She has over a decade of experience in the exhibitions and conferences industry, with expertise spanning operations, project management, and large-scale transformation initiatives. She has also held senior roles with leading organisers, where she successfully delivered integration, M&A, and change management projects of critical importance.

Macau records 4m+ visitor arrivals in August

Macau’s Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) released its latest number of visitor arrivals in August 2025, with a record of 4,219,034, a year-on-year increase of 15.5%. Same day visitors grew 25.1%, while overnight visitors increased by 3.4%. The average length of stay was held at 1.1 days, which remained unchanged.

Messe Frankfurt launches new show in Uzbekistan

International exhibition organiser, Messe Frankfurt, has expanded its portfolio in the Central Asian market, by launching its first ever technical trade fair in Uzbekistan, Intelligent Building Expo 2026. Taking place in Tashkent, the new trade fair will run from 20th to 22nd May 2026, covering areas of heating, ventilation, air conditioning and water supply, lighting and building automation, security technology and IT security.

160,000+ visits at Furniture China 2025

The 30th edition of Furniture China and Maison Shanghai 2025, organised by China National Furniture Association and Shanghai Sinoexpo Informa Markets, attracted 163,527 visits from 174 countries and regions, with overseas visitors increased by 13.9% year-on-year, reaching 32,618. Furniture China was held at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre (SNIEC), running from 10th to 13th September 2025, while Maison Shanghai took place at Shanghai World Expo Exhibition & Convention Center (SWEECC), from 9th to 12th September 2025. Under the theme “BEYOND NEXT”, the events showcased over 3,200 exhibitors, covering areas from finished furniture to raw materials and smart manufacturing, and occupied an exhibition space of 350,000 m2.

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)

New Zealand government new investment for events and tourism

New Zealand, 15th September: The New Zealand government released a new investment package for the events and tourism sectors, costing NZ$70 million (US$42 million).

According to Louise Upston, tourism and hospitality minister, the funding is designed to drive economic activity to help New Zealand compete for large-scale international events.

The new package includes NZ$40 million to attract major international events from 2026 onwards; NZ$10 million to support existing events and draw in new international opportunities; NZ$10 million for a regional tourism campaign aimed at international visitors; and NZ$10 million for upgrades to tourism infrastructure.

The New Zealand Events Association’s (NZEA) general manager Elaine Linnell, said, “We are delighted the government has recognised the vital role events play in driving both economic growth and international tourism.”

HKCEC hosts 786 events in FY2024/25

Hong Kong, 16th September: The Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) reported the venue hosted a total of 786 events during the fiscal year 2024-2025 (from July 2024 to June 2025), welcoming over 7.8 million of attendance.

Of the 786 events, 120 were exhibitions, 90 were international and local conferences, the remaining were corporate meetings, banquets and entertainment events. A total of 11 new exhibitions and 20 new conferences were held at the HKCEC for the first time.

Ms Monica Lee-Müller, Managing Director of Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (Management) Limited (HML), the professional and private management company of the HKCEC, commented, “I’m proud that our targeted business development strategy, and the efficiency and professionalism of our operation workforce, have enabled us to secure several new exhibitions as well as retaining many long-established ones. We are encouraged to see these results which reflect that Hong Kong’s unique advantages as a super connector for hosting international events remain and reaffirm the HKCEC’s position as an ideal choice for exhibition and event organisers looking for a world-class venue, professional services and comprehensive solutions.”

According to the HKCEC, several new exhibitions and conferences will be held at the venue in the coming fiscal year.

Pico Thailand posts decrease in revenues and profits

Bangkok, 12th September: Last week, Pico Thailand, the Thai-listed subsidiary of Pico Far East Holdings, released its financial results for the quarter ended 31st July 2025. Revenues in the quarter were US$9.1 million, which dropped 33% year-on-year. In the same period, the company posted a net profit of US$404,000, decreased by 12% from the same quarter in 2024.

The company attributed the decrease in revenues to rescheduling some projects from the third quarter last year to the fourth quarter this year, and also the completion of the implementation of most projects last year.

Pico Thailand also announced its results for the nine months ended 31st July. Revenues in the nine-month period were US$25 million, down 16% year-on-year. The company posted a net loss of US$258,000 in the first nine months of the financial year 2024-2025, compared with a profit of US$526,000 in the same period of last year.

2025 Policy Address supports continued growth

Hong Kong, 17th September: Earlier this week, Hong Kong SAR Chief Executive, John Lee, delivered the 2025 Policy Address, outlining initiatives, including deepening international exchange and cooperation and supporting mainland enterprises in overseas expansion, which injects strong momentum into Hong Kong’s continued growth.

According to the 2025 Policy Address, the government will establish the Task Force on Supporting Mainland Enterprises in Going Global to setting up the Economic and Trade Express, from injecting HK$1.42 billion (US$183 million) into the BUD Fund to supporting the HKTDC’s E-Commerce Express and Hong Kong Shopping Festival. The GoGlobal Task Force will also be launched to be steered by the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, the Economic and Trade Express jointly formed by Economic and Trade Offices as well as overseas offices of InvestHK and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC).

Prof Frederick Ma, Chairman of the HKTDC, was quoted, “Amid significant changes in international trade and supply chains, the HKTDC will leverage its network of 51 offices in mainland and overseas as well as years of experience in business matching through conferences and exhibitions. We will actively support the initiatives proposed in the Policy Address and work closely with relevant departments to capitalise on Hong Kong’s unique advantages as a connector linking Mainland China and the world.”

Quick takes

Terrapinn acquires EV Charging Summit & Expo

International exhibition organiser, Terrapinn, announced the acquisition of EV Charging Summit & Expo (EVCS), a leading charging infrastructure event in North America. EVCA is an annual conference and trade show held in Las Vegas, featuring over 250 exhibitors and over 5,000 delegates, bringing together the community of charge point operators across North America. No financial details of the acquisition were released.

CEIR: continue challenges for exhibition industry

The Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR) released its latest Q2 2025 Index Report, showing the Total Index was 8.4% below Q2 2019, and declined 7.7% year-on-year. In terms of the four components of the Total Index, Attendees was down 3.7% from Q2 2019, Net Square Feet was 4.9% below, Exhibitors declined 8.8%, while Real Revenues dropped 15.6%.

Zia Daniell Wigder rejoins Hyve

Hyve, international exhibition organiser, announced Zia Daniell Wigder rejoined the company as Global President, Connect Commerce, a new division uniting Shoptalk, Groceryshop, POSSIBLE, and Manifest into one portfolio. Connected Commerce will focus on the following under Zia’s leadership: Building deeper partnerships with the world’s leading companies; Delivering more integrated and consistent customer experiences; and Continuing to shape the value of connections that only B2B events can deliver.

Koelnmesse expands international business

International exhibition organiser, Koelnmesse, announced expansion of its international business in the year. ORGATEC WORKSPACE Saudi Arabia will launch on 16th September 2025 in Riyadh, brining the expertise of the ORGATEC Cologne to the Middle East. FSB Sports Show Riyadh and International Hardware Fair Saudi Arabia concluded in June 2025, attracting 13,110 trade visitors. The company will launch six international trade fairs by the end of the year, including in India and Indonesia.

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)

Approval of new ISO for events sector

Paris, 9th September: UFI, The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, announced the approval of a new ISO Technical Committee on Events (TC 354), advancing international standards for the global events sector.

TC 354 is championed by UFI and managed by AFNOR (Association Française de Normalisation). Its scope spans across event formats and purposes. Its work will establish standards for event management, addressing key areas. TC will feature a Sub-Committee on Sustainability in Event Management, building on the legacy of PC 250, which developed ISO 20121 on event sustainability management systems.

A total of 17 countries have already participated in TC 354, which will mark the events industry as a key global sector and establishing harmonised international standards that benefit the entire event ecosystem.

UFI President Hugh Jones, commented, “This is a landmark moment for our industry. For the first time, we have a dedicated ISO committee to define and align global standards for events. TC 354 recognizes the vital role our sector plays worldwide, not only as a driver of economies and industries, but also of knowledge and professionalism. I encourage our colleagues and partners worldwide to support this initiative to ensure our collective expertise shapes the standards that will define the future of our events and our industry.”

TCEB’s new vision and direction for MICE

Thailand, 4th September: New President of the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB), Dr. Supawan Teerarat, announced vision and a new direction to drive Thailand’s MICE industry forward under the concept of “Change That Matters”, aiming to make Thailand become a global MICE leader and establish Thailand as a trusted destination worldwide.

Dr Supawan’s vision for TCEB will drive Thailand towards becoming “Global-Asia’s Trusted Gateway”, which will be driven by four key strategies, GLOC:

·       Global Reach – focusing on building the destination’s brand, smart bidding for international MICE events, expanding foreign markets, and creating strategic partnerships to attract high-impact events to Thailand.

·       Local Strength – developing MICE City Clusters in 10 cities to add value and create flagship events that can elevate Thailand’s positioning on the global stage.

·       Organisation Transformation – transforming the organisation to support, including people transformation by fostering a culture of trust and psychological safety, moving towards data-driven digitalisation, and providing incentives/motivation for employees.

·       Capabilities Excellence – elevating TCEB’s role into a policy shaper, creating new industry standards, developing personnel to become ASEAN MICE experts, and driving innovation and sustainability within the industry.

In addition, TCEB’s commitment will develop Thailand’s competitive capabilities to keep pace with changing situation and internation challenges. Key focus will strengthen the Thail MICE industry ecosystem and increase MICE stakeholders, to enable the industry to achieve the shared goals.

SEEC Media narrows its loss

Hong Kong, 29th August: Last month, SEEC Media Group, a Hong Kong-listed media company, announced its financial results for the first half of 2025. Revenues in the six-month period were US$2.01 million, an increase of 2.7% year-on-year. The company narrowed its loss from US$3.3 million in the first half of 2024, down to US$48,000 in the first half of 2025.

More than 65% of SEEC’s total revenues were generated through its provision of advertising services, amounting to US$1.3 million. This segment grew 25% year-on-year. The remaining revenues were generated from SEEC’s money lending business, generating revenues of US$686,000, which dropped 22% from the first half of last year.

The company attributed the increase revenues of the advertising business to the recovery of the adverse impact of COVID-19 pandemic in China. In addition, the company has developed digital media marketing services and multi-channel network (MCN) business since 2020 to diversify its advertising business revenues.

In the future, the company will develop its advertising business, especially the digital media marketing and the MCS business. The company will also monitor the performance, development and potential business risks of the financial business and identify the most suitable diversification of the company’s portfolio of businesses.

Meorient’s performance down in first half

Shanghai, 29th August: Shenzhen-listed exhibition organiser, Meorient, has recently announced its financial results for the six months ended 30th June 2025. The group’s revenues in the first half of 2025 dropped by 7.4% year-on-year, down to US$34 million.

The company posted a net profit of US$2.2 million, a year-on-year decline of 62%. Diluted earnings per share in the six-month period were RMB 0.05 (US$0.0070).

The company claimed the decrease in revenues to the cancellation of exhibitions (from 6 projects to 5 projects). While the decrease in net profits was mainly due to the implementation of foreign trade assistance and relief policies (lowering the threshold for foreign trade companies to participate in exhibitions) and the increase in AI development investment and marketing investment.

In the reported period, the company organised five exhibitions in four countries, which featured some 3,000 exhibitors, occupying over 100,000 m2 of exhibition space, and attracted over 110,000 buyers.

Quick takes

Events Venture Group invests in Explori

Events Venture Group (EVG), venture-backed community connecting event founders and entrepreneurs, announced its strategic investment in Explori, a leading provider of standardised feedback, benchmarking, and intelligence for the global events industry. Under the completion of the investment, Explori will be positioned to: accelerate product and AI innovation; expand its global intelligence services; and strengthen its role as the go-to source for event performance benchmarking and attendee, exhibitor and sponsor insights.

Messe Frankfurt launches new subsidiary in Saudi Arabia

International exhibition organiser, Messe Frankfurt, launched a new subsidiary, Messe Frankfurt Saudi Arabia, aiming to strengthen Messe Frankfurt’s regional presence and help shape the future of the MICE sector in the Middle East. At the same time, Azzan Mohamed is also appointed as Managing Director of Messe Frankfurt Saudi Arabia, reporting to CEO Ted Bloom of Messe Frankfurt Middle East (Dubai). Azzan Mohamed will be responsible for all commercial matters and for the existing event portfolio. He will also develop new sector-specific formats, manage governmental relations and ensure that the company’s activities are in line with both corporate objectives and local stakeholder needs.

RX launches WTM Spotlight in Saudi Arabia

RX Global, a leading company in events and exhibitions announced to launch World Travel Market (WTM) Spotlight in Saudi Arabia, which is scheduled to take place in Riyadh Front Exhibition & Convention Centre (RFECC), Saudi Arabia, running from 29th September to 1st October 2026. WTM Spotlight is a new brand and launch within the WTM portfolio, focusing on a specific market and creating invaluable opportunities for regional and international exhibitors and visitors.

Made-in-China.com up in revenues and profits

Shenzhen-listed Focus Technology, which owns and operates the B2B trading platform Made-in-China.com, announced its financial results for the six months ended 30th June 2025. Revenues were US$128 million, representing year-on-year growth of 16%. Profit in the reported period increased by 26% year-on-year, reaching US$41 million. Diluted earnings per share in the six-month period were RMB 0.9291 (US$0.13). As of 30th June, the company reported that Made-in-China.com platform had 28,699 paid members. At the same time, “AI Mai” service had more than 13,000 members.

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)

JTB to acquire Northstar

Tokyo, 28th August: JTB Corp., a leading travel solutions providers in Japan, announced to acquire Northstar Travel Group, a leading B2B travel industry events, media and information services company, from investments funds managed by EagleTree Capital and its co-investors. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

After the acquisition, JTB’s business development will focus on the followings: 1) Expanding Northstar’s established brand presence into new regions and business domains; 2) Enhancing digital product offerings through AI and advanced data utilization; and 3) Strengthening customer services and solutions across the entire JTB by leveraging Northstar’s global network and advanced marketing capabilities. In addition, JTB will operate Northstar as an independent, wholly owned subsidiary, and will continue to be led by its existing management team.

Northstar’s Chief Executive Officer Jason Young, said, “We are thrilled to partner with JTB as we enter the next phase of our company’s incredible history. Our shared commitment to the travel industry, cultural alignment, and collective expertise – combined with the opportunity to accelerate Northstar’s geographic expansion in the Asia Pacific region – will enhance our ability to deliver value to our audiences and customers as we advance our mission.”

Terrapinn buys Australia’s Digital Health Festival

Australia, 1st September: Terrapinn announced the company has acquired Digital Health Festival (DHF), an event for health professionals in Australia committed to a digital future. No financial details of the acquisition have been disclosed.

DHF takes place in Melbourne in May, which is the claimed to be the largest events of its type in the southern hemisphere, featuring 350 exhibitors, 125 start-ups and 400 speakers, attracting 8,000 attendees.

Hamish Steel, CEO and founder, Digital Health Festival, was quoted, “Terrapinn gets DHF and has all that is needed to take the show to the next level. We are confident that they will grow the show, serve the community and be a great home to our team. We are delighted to bring the quality of Digital Health Festival to our stable of international life science and health events.”

Alibaba’s profit jumps 76% in June quarter 2025

Hangzhou, 29th August: Last week, Alibaba Group, China’s largest e-commerce company, announced its results for the quarter ended 30th June 2025. The company recorded revenues of US$35 billion, an increase of 2% year-on-year.

The company’s profit posted a rise of 76% over the same quarter in 2024, reaching US$5.9 billion. Diluted earnings per share in the quarter were RMB 2.25 (US$0.31). The company attributed the increase in profits to mark-to market changes from its equity investments and gain from the disposal of local consumer service business of Trendyol.

In terms of its B2B business, revenues from the China commerce whole of the Alibaba China E-commerce Group, primarily generated through 1688.com, were US$937 million, an increase of 13% over the same quarter last year. While the International commerce whole from the Alibaba International Digital Commerce Group, primarily from Alibaba.com, generated revenues of US$886 million, also up 13% year-on-year. In total, the B2B business only accounted for 5.3% of Alibaba Group’s total revenues.

In terms of the business segment, the largest segment was the Alibaba China E-commerce Group, accounted for 57% of the total revenues, amounting at US$20 billion. The Alibaba International Digital Commerce Group was the second largest segment, generated revenues of US$4.9 billion, and accounted for 14% of the total revenues. The remaining revenues were generated from the Cloud Intelligent Group (US$4.7 billion) and other businesses.

Eddie Wu, Chief Executive Officer of Alibaba Group, stated, “This quarter, our strategic focus on consumption and AI + Cloud delivered strong growth. Our decisive investment in the quick commerce business achieved key milestones as we won consumer mindshare. We generated substantial synergies from combining resources of our consumer platforms which resulted in new highs in monthly active consumers and daily order volume. Driven by robust AI demand, Cloud Intelligence Group experienced accelerated revenue growth, and AI-related product revenue is now a significant portion of revenue from external customers. Looking ahead, we remain committed to investing in our two strategic pillars of consumption and AI + Cloud to capture historic opportunities and drive long-term growth.”

DLG’s posts decreases in first half

Shanghai, 28th August: DLG Exhibitions & Events (formerly Shanghai Lansheng Corporation) has recently reported its financial results for the six months ended 30th June 2025. Revenues in the first half of the year were US$77 million, representing a year-on-year decrease of 6.2%.

The company’s net profit dropped 31% year-on-year, down to US$7.9 million in the first half of 2025. Diluted earnings per share in the first half of the year were RMB 0.08 (US$0.011).

In the reported period, the company hosted or co-hosted 11 exhibitions, featuring some 684,000 m2. Shanghai World Expo Exhibition & Convention Center, the venue operated by DLG, hosted 35 exhibitions and events, with a total rental area of 4.27 million m2.