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IEG’s new acquisition

Italian Exhibition Group (IEG), a leading exhibition organiser in Italy, has acquired 51% of the NIS Summit – Nutrition Innovation Summit, functional ingredients, health and supplement market in Brazil’s main business and innovation platform. The transaction, costing R$20 million (US$3.78 million), will further strengthens the expansion strategy into structural segments with constant growth and low sensitivity to economic cycles. After the transaction, the current NIS members will remain at the helm until 2029, IEG will exercise the option to purchase the remaining 49% at the end of the period.

Macau welcomes 4m visitor arrivals in February

In February 2026, Macau recorded an increase of 33% year-on-year in the number of visitor arrivals, reaching 4,172,940, mainly driven by the Lunar New Year holidays. Same-day visitors were up by 42%, while overnight visitors grew by 19%. However, the average length of stay of visitors shortened by 0.2 day year-on-year, down to 0.9 day.

IEG’s revenues up 6.6% in FY2025

Italian Exhibition Group S.p.A. (IEG) released its financial results for the year ended 31st December 2025, reporting revenues of €266 million (US$313 million), up 6.6% year-on-year. The growth was due to the development of its events in the organised events business line to the tune, and the increasing influence of the conference division. However, net profit for the year decreased by 6.3%, amounting at €30.4 million (US$36 million). In 2025, the company completed four acquisitions. In the future, under its 2025-2030 Strategic Plan, the company will expand its portfolio with the launch of new events, with the goal of introducing at least one new trade fair each year.

Informa Markets’ revenues up 11% in 2025

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London, 12th March: Informa PLC released its full year results for the year ended 31st December 2025, reporting revenues of £4.04 billion (US$5.4 billion), which represents underlying growth of 6.3%. Adjusted operating profits for the year were £1.14 billion (US$1.5 billion), representing underlying growth of 8.7%.

In 2025, Informa Markets, part of Informa’s B2B Live Events business, reported revenues of £1.96 billion (US$2.6 billion), representing underlying growth of 11%. Revenues generated from the B2B Live Events business for the year were £3.0 billion (US$40.4 billion), with adjusted operating profits of £857.5 million (US$1.2 billion).

Stephen A. Carter, Group Chief Executive, Informa PLC, said, “The Informa Group delivered an outstanding performance in 2025, delivering double-digit growth in revenues, adjusted earnings per share and cash flow. The Power of Live, the value of proprietary First Party Data, deep international reach and the deployment of AI technology are driving strong customer demand for our specialist Brands, underpinning our confidence in the compounding growth opportunities for Informa.”

In 2026, the company targets higher underlying revenue growth at about 6%, with B2B Live Events underlying growth of over 7%.

Pico Thailand posts loss in Q1

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Bangkok, 16th March: Earlier this week, Pico Thailand, the Thai-listed subsidiary of Pico Far East Holdings, announced its results for the quarter ended 31st January 2026. Revenues during the quarter were US$6.2 million, representing a year-on-year decrease of 34%.

The company posted a net loss of US$426,000 in the quarter, compared with a profit of US$239,000 recorded in the same quarter last year.

The company attributed the decrease in revenues to a decline in income from the public sector due to the political climate, particularly during the transition period under a caretaker government, which impacted budget approvals and project decision-making.

Separately, Pico Thailand announced the approval of the appointment of Ms. Chia Yuan Jiun, as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the company, effective from 16th March 2026.

SM Hotels to open 3 new trade halls

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Manila, February: SMX Convention Center in the Philippines will open three new SMX Trade Halls in the fourth quarter in 2026 in Luzon, which will be located in Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija; Santo Tomas, Batangas; and Santa Rosa, Laguna.

The new halls will be owned and managed by SM Hotels and Conventions Corporation (SMHCC), providing more than 13,000 m2 of total leadable exhibition space, positioning the new halls as thriving commercial hubs to serve regional demand while supporting national event expansion beyond Manila.

SM Hotels and Conventions Corporation Senior Vice President Mr. Walid Wafik, was quoted, “With the addition of these three trade halls, we are not only expanding our geographic reach but also creating more opportunities for businesses and communities to connect. Our continued investments reflect our confidence in the Philippines’ growing MICE potential and our mission to deliver accessible, high-quality event spaces across the country.”

Intertraffic launches Intertraffic Asia in Bangkok

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Bangkok, 13th March: VNU Asia Pacific announced the expansion of Intertraffic into the Southeast Asia, by launching Intertraffic Asia, in Bangkok, running from 28th to 30th April 2027.

The new Intertraffic Asia will be under the Intertraffic portfolio, including events in Amsterdam, Mexico and China.

Under the strategic partnership between RAI Amsterdam and VNU Asia Pacific, the collaboration combines deep local market expertise with Intertraffic’s international network and knowledge to deliver a world-class event tailored to the Southeast Asian market.

Ms. Panadda Kongma, Vice-President Business, VNU Asia Pacific, commented, “As part of a global organization headquartered in the Netherlands, with our Bangkok office driving market development across Asia for more than a decade, VNU Asia Pacific combines international expertise with deep regional insight. Together with RAI Amsterdam, we are confident in building Intertraffic Asia in Bangkok into Southeast Asia’s leading platform across traffic management and C-ITS, road safety and enforcement technologies, parking management, road infrastructure, and smart mobility, connecting global innovation with the region’s evolving transport challenges and opportunities.”

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Fiera Milano posts record revenue in FY2025

For the financial year 2025, Fiera Milano posted a record revenues of €380 million (US$446 million), a year-on-year increase of 39%. Net profit for the year jumped 165%, reaching €50 million (US$59 million). According to the company, a total of 105 congress events were held during the year.

IEG appoints new Global Exhibition Director of F&B Division

Italian Exhibition Group (IEG) has appointed Ilaria Cicero as the new Global Exhibition Director of its Food & Beverage Division, and she continues to be the Chief Executive Officer of IEG Asia in Singapore. She also experienced in the trade fair and conference sector, especially in the areas of Food & Beverage, Hospitality, Lifestyle, Retail, Oil & Gas, and Interior & Design.

RX’s Global Head of Corporate Communications appointment

RX, a global leading events and exhibitions company, has announced the appointment of Katrine Graugaard as Global Head of Corporate Communications, succeeding Nathalie Haxby, who will retire at the end of March. Katrine has more than 20 years of international communications experience across large, complex, multi-market organisations. She will lead RX’s global communications strategy, strengthen its internal and external narrative, support the Executive Leadership Team, and partner across the business to evolve RX’s storytelling, positioning and engagement in line with its strategic ambitions.

UFI AP Conference 2026 welcomes 260+ delegates to Thailand

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Bangkok, 5th March: UFI, The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, concluded its 2026 UFI Asia-Pacific Conference, bringing together over 260 industry leaders in Bangkok, Thailand.

Running from 5th to 6th March, the conference was hosted by the Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre (QSNCC).

This year’s conference featured a dynamic line-up of speakers who explored the major forces reshaping the industry, from global trade and supply chains to technology innovation and evolving client needs.

Chris Skeith OBE, CEO & Managing Director of UFI, was quoted, “The Asia-Pacific region remains one of the most dynamic exhibition markets in the world, as well as home to UFI’s largest member base. Bringing our community together in Bangkok has once again highlighted how important this conference is for strengthening regional collaboration and cross-border connections. The discussions over the past two days reflect the ambition and innovation of this region, as well as the vital role exhibitions play in driving growth and opportunity.”

The next UFI Asia-Pacific Conference will take place in 2027 in Bali, Indonesia, hosted by IECA, the Indonesia Exhibition and Convention Association.

Penang’s business events generate RM1.91b in 2025

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Penang, 2nd March: The Penang Convention & Exhibition Bureau (PCEB) has announced a record year for Business Events Penang in 2025, generating RM 1.91 billion (US$488 million) of an estimated Economic Event Impact (EEI).

In 2025, a total of 3,391 business events were held in Penang, representing a 65% increase year-on-year. The number of delegates grew 48% over the figure record in 2024, amounting at 451,198.

Ashwin Gunasekeran, CEO of PCEB, said, “At PCEB, we turn insight and foresight into action. By using data, market intelligence, and global best practices, we refine our strategies to help partners transform opportunities into real outcomes and measurable impact across Penang’s business events ecosystem.”

In the future, Penang will continue to champion high-value, strategic business events to deliver economic impact and long-term benefits.

Informa TechTarget generates US$487m in 2025

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Newton, MA, U.S., 11th March: Earlier this week, Informa’s TechTarget, Inc. released its full year results for 2025, with reported revenue of US$487 million, which is consistent with its guidance of “broadly flat”.

The company posted its GAAP net loss to US$1.0 billion, compared with the loss of US$117 million in 2024. The company attributed the increase in net loss to a US$931.5 million non-cash goodwill impairment, reflecting the reduction in its market capitalization during the year relative to book value at the prior year-end.

In 2026, TechTarget targets a return to revenue growth and an increase in Adjusted EBITDA to be between US$95 million and US$100 million.

Gary Nugent, Chief Executive Officer, Informa TechTarget, commented, “2025 was the foundation year for Informa TechTarget, with the focus on executing against our Combination Plan, laying the path ahead for durable growth. We combined and invested in our businesses, brands and teams, establishing a clear and compelling customer proposition and strengthening our market presence.”

The company also announced its results for the quarter ended 31st December 2025. Revenues were US$141 million, an increase of 3% year-on-year on a Combined Company basis. While the net loss narrowed to US$9.5 million in the quarter, down from US$77 million in the fourth quarter in 2024, which reflected the reduction in the market capitalization during the quarter relative to its book value in 2024.

TEA unveils 2026–2027 MICE roadmap

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Thailand, 3rd March: The Thai Exhibition Association (TEA) announced the strategic roadmap for Thailand’s MICE industry for 2026-2027, focusing on building a robust ecosystem driven by innovation and sustainability.

The association also confirmed to host the upcoming edition of its flagship event, Thailand MICE X-Change 2026 (TMX 2026), from 29th to 30th April 2026, at Ballroom 1-3, Level 1, Queen Sirikit National Convention Center (QSNCC). Under the theme of “Innovation and Sustainability: Advancing Thailand’s MICE Industry Toward Excellence”, TMX 2026 is expected to attract over 4,000 attendees, continue to support digital transformation alongside sustainability-driven strategies, reinforcing Thailand’s global competitiveness in the MICE sector.

More than 100 full-service event solutions providers from Thailand and abroad will showcase at TMX 2026. In addition, over 25 industry experts will present at the “X-Change Square” seminar, covering more than 15 sessions. Business matching sessions will also be held during the exhibition, connecting exhibitors with buyers from various sectors.

Mr. Loy Joon How, President of TEA and General Manager of IMPACT Exhibition Management Co., Ltd., stated, “TMX has now been organized continuously for three years and has become widely recognized as a leading exhibition and conference platform that encourages businesses to integrate events and exhibitions into their strategic marketing and branding plans.”

Quick takes

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New Zealand opens new venue

The New Zealand International Convention Centre (NZICC) has officially opened, serving Auckland and New Zealand’s business events, culture, and tourism landscape. The new venue consists of 33 meeting spaces, a 2,850-seat theatre, and the capacity to host over 4,000 delegates, which enables NZICC to host international summits, trade exhibitions, concerts and cultural events, etc. In addition, the venue has already secured 120 bookings for 2026, and it is targeted to attract 33,000 new international visitors annually, generating NZ$90 million (US$53 million) in economic impact.

HKTDC’s twin jewellery shows attract some 80,000 buyers

The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) concluded its 42nd Hong Kong International Jewellery Show and the 12th Hong Kong International Diamond, Gem & Pearl Show, under the “Two Shows, Two Venues” format. The Jewellery Show was held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC), from 4th to 8th March 2026, attracting over 51,000 buyers from 140 countries and regions. While the Diamond, Gem & Pearl Show ran from 2nd to 6th March 2026, at AsiaWorld-Expo (AWE), welcoming more than 28,000 from 125 countries and regions. About 4,000 exhibitors from over 40 countries and regions were featured at the twin shows.

GES opens new office in Mumbai

GES, exhibition and events service provider, announced the company has opened a new office in Mumbai, led by Pranay Chandan. He will head operations and business development in India for the company, based in the Mumbai office and supported by a local team.

Comexposium appoints Director of Events

Comexposium, a world’s leading organisers of professional and public events, has appointed Annabelle Serres as Director of its two flagship events of the retail real estate and the retail industry, Siec and NRF Retail’s Big Show Europe. In the new role, Annabelle Serres will lead the production of NRF Retail’s Big Show Europe, and support Siec’s transformation and reinforcing its positioning as the strategic event for commercial real estate.

Seven Asia partners with HJT International Exhibition

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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.

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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.