Quick takes

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Nineteen Group acquires Space-Comm Expo Europe

Nineteen Group has announced to acquire Space-Comm Expo Europe, from Lunar Ridge Ventures, an annual exhibition and conference for the global space community. Under the acquisition, Nineteen Group will provide scale, expertise, and international reach for Space-Comm Expo Europe to develop. The financial details for the acquisition were not disclosed.

Easyfairs announces 2 deals

Easyfairs announced two acquisitions this week:

1.     Easyfairs announced it has acquired The AI Conference, an event dedicated to applied artificial intelligence. This acquisition will strengthen Easyfairs’ presence in the United States.

2.     In the meantime, Easyfairs Belgium NV completed of the acquisition of Xpo Group BV, acquiring 100% of the company’s shares. Under this acquisition, the two organisers will bring together with international footprints.

However, no financial details have been released.

HKTDC’s Book Fair attracts 990,000 visits

The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) concluded three fairs in July, attracting 990,000 visits during the seven-day fairs. The three fairs were the 36th Hong Kong Book Fair, 9th Sports and Leisure Expo and 6th World of Snacks, featuring more than 770 exhibitors from 30 countries and regions.

MEET Thai Plus 2026 Shenzhen open next month

The inaugural MEET Thai Plus 2026 Shenzhen will present Thailand’s potential to target markets to attract stakeholders from target industries. The event will be held at the Shenzhen Convention and Exhibition Center (SZCEC), running from 9th to 10th September 2026, expecting to attract over 1,500 Chinese buyers participating in 1,000 B2B2C meetings.

RELX’s exhibitions revenues up 6% in first half

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London, 23rd July: Last week, RELX Group plc, parent company of RX Global, reported its financial results for the six months ended 30th June 2026. Group revenues were £4.9 billion (US$6.5 billion) in the first half of the year, representing underlying growth of 7%. The adjusted operating profit increased by 9%, reaching £1.7 billion (US$2.3 billion).

RELX’s exhibitions business generated revenues of £575 million (US$761 million), representing underlying growth of 6%, while the adjusted operating profit was up by 2%, amounting at £226 million (US$299 million).

The company stated the growth in exhibitions business reflected the strong ongoing growth profile of its event portfolio. The figures also reflected event cycling and timing, including the rescheduling of some events to the second half. For the outlook of the year 2026, the company also expected strong underlying revenue growth with an improvement in adjusted operating margin over the previous year.

Chief Executive Officer, Erik Engstrom, commented, “RELX delivered strong underlying revenue and profit growth and strong new sales in the first half of 2026… Our improving long-term growth trajectory continues to be driven by the ongoing shift in business mix towards higher growth analytics and decision tools that deliver enhanced value to our customers. We continue to develop these products by leveraging deep customer understanding to combine our unique content and comprehensive data sets with advanced technologies.”

GCCEC appoints Director of Event Delivery

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Gold Coast, 29th July: The Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre (GCCEC) announced industry executive, Avril Harris, to join the venue as Director of Event Delivery.

As GCCEC’s Director of Event Delivery, Avril will lead and integrate its event, operations and technology functions, driving innovation and operational excellence to support consistently high service standards and future growth.

She will bring more than 20 years of events experience and a deep understanding of the Cold Coast’s visitor economy, industry partnerships and broader events landscape. She will build on the venue’s strong operational foundations, bringing its teams and functions closer together and ensuring the venue remains equipped to deliver exceptional events as client expectations and industry demand continue to evolve.

Nick Jeffrey, General Manager of GCCEC, said, “The scale and complexity of our operation require leadership that can connect people, systems and infrastructure around a shared standard of delivery. Avril will play a central role in strengthening how our operational teams work together, building accountability across the Centre and ensuring we are well positioned to meet the evolving needs of our clients.”

GL events’ revenues up 9% in first half

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Lyon, 22nd July: GL events released its financial results for the six months ended 30th June 2026. It reported revenues of €966 million (US$1.1 billion), representing year-on-year growth of 9%.

In terms of business sectors, GL events Live generated revenues of €544 million (US$620 million), up 19% year-on-year. While GL events Venues’ revenues grew by 15% year-on-year, reaching €298 million (US$340 million). However, GL events Exhibitions posted revenues of €124 million (US$141 million), recorded year-on-year decrease of 28%.

The company attributed the decrease in the Exhibitions business to an unfavourable biennial event cycle, with the first half of 2025 including major exhibitions.

Olivier Ginon, Chairman-CEO of GL events Group, was quoted, “GL events delivered a strong first half, reflecting its solid fundamentals, the relevance of its strategy and the continued confidence of its clients, partners and employees around the world. These results confirm the relevance of our business model and the complementarity of our businesses. The strong momentum in our Live and Venues activities internationally, our ability to offset the impact of unfavourable biennial event cycles and the successful integration of Stade de France are the clearest illustrations. Against a complex global backdrop, and notwithstanding our footprint in the Middle East, we have maintained our momentum with discipline and vigilance. As a result, we are able to approach the second half of the year with confidence, fully focused on achieving our objectives and delivering sustainable, well-managed growth.”

Quick takes

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India plans a Delhi NCR MICE Promotion Bureau

The India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO) and Ministry of Tourism have jointly to plan to set up a Delhi NCR MICE Promotion Bureau, targeting to position India as a leading global destination for business events. It will market the capital region as a unified MICE destination, promoting its world-class convention and exhibition infrastructure.

5,000+ visitors at IME 2026

The Intelligent Manufacturing Expo Southeast Asia 2026 (IME 2026) concluded at the IMPACT Exhibition Center in Bangkok, Thailand, running from 22nd to 24th July 2026. Organised by the Trade Development Bureau of the Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China, DEXPO Shanghai Industry & Commerce Exhibition Co., Ltd., and Hannover Milano Fairs Shanghai Ltd., IME 2026 occupied an exhibition area of 5,000 m2, bringing nearly 150 exhibitors and a total of 5,262 professional visitors from 57 countries and regions. The event featured industry associations, research institutions, industrial parks, manufacturing enterprises and professional buyers from China, Thailand and Southeast Asia on advanced manufacturing technologies, industrial upgrading, trade cooperation and project implementation.

GL events acquires healthcare vertical

GL events announced the company has completed the acquisition of MCO Congrès, a Professional Congress Organiser (PCO) specialised in the organisation of scientific and medical events, conferences and congresses. MCO Congrès was founded in 1990, organised over 1,500 congresses, with annual revenue of €14 million (US$16 million). No financial details for the acquisition have been released.

Indonesia launches IBEM with SEABEF

Indonesia will host business events marketplace at the Jakarta International Convention Center (JICC): the Southeast Asia Business Events Forum (SEABEF), running from 28th to 29th July 2026; and the Indonesia Business Event Mart (IBEM), from 30th to 31st July 2026. SEABEF will bring leaders together to examine industry trends, policy alignment, sustainability, digital transformation, and talent development across Southeast Asia. While the inaugural IBEM will feature over 200 exhibitors representing 100 companies and organisations, including convention bureaus, destination management companies, hotel chains, convention centres, airlines, cruise operators, and event tech providers.

UFI appoints new Events Operations Support

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Paris, 16th July: UFI, The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, announced the appointment of Nicole Lyashko as Events Operations Support.

Nicloe will be part of UFI’s Events team, supporting the planning and delivering of UFI’s international portfolio of events. She will contribute to the smooth organisation events by supporting coordination, administration and operational activities. She will also help ensure that each event provides participants with a valuable experience through strong organisation.

Nicole has an international background spanning the cultural, institutional and private sectors, with experience in events, communications and public relations.

Adeline Vancauwelaert, UFI COO, was quoted, “We are delighted to welcome Nicole to the UFI Events team, where she will report to Karen Cohen. Creating meaningful opportunities to connect and collaborate around the world is at the heart of all of our events, and Nicole’s energy and expertise will help us continue to deliver on that mission.”

Thailand to host IEEE ICRA 2030

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Thailand, 21st July: The Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB announced that Thailand has won the bid to host the 2030 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (IEEE ICRA 2030), the world’s leading conference on robotics, artificial intelligence (AI), and automation.

This will be the first for IEEE ICRA to be held in Thailand, running from 13th to 17th June 2023, at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center (QSNCC) in Bangkok. The bid was jointly led by TCEB, the Faculty of Engineering, Mahidol University, IEEE Robotics and Automation Society (RAS) Thailand Chapter, and IEEE Thailand Section, and the conference will be hosted by Faculty of Engineering, Mahidol University, IEEE RAS Thailand Chapter, IEEE Thailand Section and Thailand Medical Robotics and AI Association.

It is expected to welcome some 10,000 delegates to the conference, with 8,000 international participants. It is also aimed to become strategic platform for accelerating Thailand’s adoption of robotics and automation technologies, attracting investment in AI, robotics, and advanced manufacturing.

Miss Jittanun Techasarin, Director of Conventions Department of TCEB, said, “As global economic competition increasingly revolves around innovation and new value creation, Thailand must leverage international business events as catalysts for investment, technology transfer, and industrial development. Aligned with the government’s national agenda to promote future industries, TCEB is committed to attracting events that serve as Strategic Economic Platforms – events capable of generating collaboration, trade, investment, and innovation in high-growth sectors. IEEE ICRA 2030 exemplifies this vision by bringing together the world’s leading researchers, innovators, technology developers, investors, and industry leaders in robotics and automation.”

Messe Muenchen India expands Mumbai Office

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Mumbai, 22nd July: Indian subsidiary of international exhibition organiser, Messe München, Messe Muenchen India, expanded its corporate office in Mumbai, reflecting its growth and rising influence in the trade fair industry.

Messe Muenchen India originally targeted a five-year workspace solution; however, the company completed the target in just two years. The India business has more than double since 2023, with revenue growing by over 100% in three years. While exhibition space is projected to expand by more than 70% between 2023 and 2026. Today, the company has a portfolio of 28 trade fairs in India covering electronics, construction and infrastructure, environmental technologies, transport and logistics, laboratory technology, agriculture, laser and photonics, and energy.

According to Messe Muenchen India, the expansion will provide strengthened infrastructure and workplace capabilities to support the teams in delivering greater value to exhibitors, visitors, partners and stakeholders.

BESarawak names new CEO

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Sarawak, 9th July: Business Events Sarawak (BESarawak) has appointed Jason Tan Chin Foo as its Chief Executive Officer, with immediate effect.

Joined in 2012, Jason has served BESarawak for over 10 years in various leadership capacities, and he will lead the organisation into the next phase of growth with a vision to strengthen Sarawak’s position as a globally competitive business events destination through purposeful collaboration, innovation and legacy-driven development.

Deputy State Secretary (Operation) and Chairman of BESarawak, Datu Hii Chang Kee, commented, “Jason has consistently demonstrated strategic leadership and a strong commitment to advancing Sarawak’s business events industry. The Board has every confidence that he will build on BESarawak’s strong foundations and achievements, further strengthen the organisation and the wider business events ecosystem, and lead the industry towards an even more impactful and globally competitive future for Sarawak.”

Quick takes

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Hong Kong to host LEAP East in 2027-2029

LEAP East, a leading technology exhibition in the Middle East, launched its Asian edition in Hong Kong, running from 8th to 10th July 2026, with more than 25,000 participants. The Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) announced to partner with the organiser to secure Hong Kong as the exclusive Asian host city of the event from 2027 to 2029.

Macau welcomes 20m+ visitor arrivals in first half

Macau’s Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) released its number of visitor arrivals in the first half of 2026, increased by 9% year-on-year, reaching 20,944,446. Same-day visitors rose by 15%, amounting at 12,889,844, while overnight visitors (8,054,602) increased by 0.2% year-on-year. However, the average length of stay of visitors shortened by 0.1 day from the same period last year, down to 1.0 day.

Hyve acquires market-leading brands in Europe

Hyve Group announced the acquisition of RASIE Summit, MACHINA Summit and Signal Week (formerly Paris Blockchain Week). Hyve will establish a new AI SuperVertical, to strengthen the fintech portfolio through specialist crypto and blockchain expertise alongside Fintech Meetup.

26m+ visitors to Hong Kong in first half

The Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) announced its visitor arrivals figures for June to be 3.72 million, a year-on-year increase of 7%. In the first half of 2026, Hong Kong welcomed 26.71 million visitors, a 13% growth from the first half of 2025. Arrivals from the Chinese Mainland increased by 16%, amounting at 20.56 million, while long-haul markets posted a year-on-year growth of 20% in the first half.

Informa appoints new Chair-Elect

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London, 9th July: International B2B Events, B2B Digital Services and Academic Markets Group, Informa Group PLC, announced the appointment of Tom Glocer as its Chair-Elect.

Previously served as Chief Executive of financial data and information group for more than 10 years, Mr Glocer will bring Board experience. According to Informa, Mr Glocer will be a Non-Executive Director of Informa from 1st October 2026 and will take over a Non-Executive Chair in 2027, to conclude a succession process that started at the beginning of 2026 and will see a managed transition through the second half of the year.

Stephen A. Carter CBE, Group Chief Executive, Informa PLC, said, “It has been a privilege and pleasure working with John Rishton over the last nine years, during which time Informa has grown and expanded both internationally and by industry category. Tom Glocer’s experience, knowledge and background in technology, data and international markets, will be invaluable to us as we continue to pursue growth and expansion.”

BCEC to host LNG2029

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Brisbane, 15th July: The world’s largest LNG event, International Conference and Exhibition on Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG2029), will be held at Brisbane.

The event will take place at the Brisbane Convention Exhibition Centre (BCEC), to shape the future of energy through high-level dialogue, innovation show cases and critical commercial negotiations. Launched in 2026, LNG is targeted to attract more than 4,200 international energy leaders, innovators and policymakers from over 80 countries to Brisbane.

According to BCEC, the bid was led by the Australian Gas Industry Trust (AGIT) in partnership with Australian Energy Producers (AEP) and was coordinated by BCEC in partnership with Tourism and Events Queensland (TEQ), Brisbane Economic Development Agency (BEDA) and Tourism Australia (TA).

BCEC General Manager Kym Guesdon was quoted, “We are delighted to continue our valued partnership with the Australian Energy Producers & the Australian Gas Industry Trust and support them in bringing their flagship international event to Brisbane. Hosting LNG2029 at BCEC reflects our shared commitment to advancing a sector that is critical to Australia’s energy transition. This event will showcase Brisbane’s global capabilities and foster collaboration that drives innovation and sustainable solutions for the future of energy.”

Messe Stuttgart posts €134m of turnover in FY2025

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Germany, 9th July: International exhibition organiser, Messe Stuttgart, released its result for 2025 financial year, reporting a turnover of €134.6 million (US$158 million), and an operating loss (EBITDA) of €2.9 million (US$3.4 million), which the company performed considerably better than predicted.

The company organised 39 of its own events and hosted 20 guest events, attracting a total of 16,030 exhibitors and 1,064,518 visitors.

Roland Bleinroth, President of Messe Stuttgart, concluded, “The figures from 2025 have shown that, even under challenging conditions, we can be relied upon to deliver.”

For the 2026 financial year, the company predicts considerably higher event and turnover figures due to a strong event schedule. The company will develop new products, with three new formats adding to the portfolio in the course of the year.

Quick takes

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Messe München closes 2 shows

Messe München Shanghai concluded electronica Shanghai and ISPO Shanghai recently. electronica Shanghai, a platform for technological iteration and industrial transformation, featured 2,065 exhibitors and 79,026 professional visitors, occupying an exhibition area of 120,000 m2. While ISPO Shanghai gathered nearly 500 sports and outdoor brands from over 20 countries and regions, covering 30,000 m2 of exhibition space, and attracted over 26,000 professional visitors and sports enthusiasts from 99 countries and regions.

HKTDC opens concurrent summer events

The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) opened its 36th Hong Kong Book Fair, 9th Sports and Leisure Expo and 6th World of Snacks at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC), running from 15th to 21st July 2026. The public and tourist will be able to attend the events combining the joy of reading, sports and leisure, and tasty snacks from around the world with one ticket. More than 770 exhibitors will present at the concurrent events. The Book Fair will feature eight themed seminar series, Sports and Leisure Expo will offer a diverse range of sports experiences, and World of Snacks will be presented under six themed zones.

Messe Frankfurt acquires LiGHT Expo London

International exhibition organiser, Messe Frankfurt announced the company has acquires LiGHT Expo London from [d]arc media, to strengthen its presence within the international lighting and building technology sector. Launched in 2022, LiGHT is one of the UK’s leading events for the lighting specification community, bringing together architects, interior designers, lighting designers, engineers, specifiers and leading international lighting brands. After the acquisition, LiGHT will add to Messe Frankfurt’s Light + Building portfolio, which has events in Frankfurt, Buenos Aires, Dubai, Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Istanbul, Kuala Lumpur, Las Vegas, Mumbai, New Delhi, Shanghai, and Tashkent. No financial details of the acquisition have been released.

Informa TechTarget parters to launch Perner Demand Assurance

Informa TechTarget will launch Partner Demand Assurance (PDA), a partner engagement and enablement solution delivered in collaboration with UK-based partner marketing agency The Sherpa Group. The partnership will help B2B technology companies both maximize and prove ROI from their partner program investments. PDA will combine permissioned data from Informa TechTarget’s proprietary audience ecosystem and proven demand generation capabilities with The Sherpa Group’s partner enablement expertise and EdisonAI platform.

UFI: limited impact of the current situation in the Middle East

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Paris, 8th July: UFI, The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, has recently released its latest edition of the flagship Global Exhibition Barometer report, showing limited impact of the current situation in the Middle East.

Due to the current situation in the Middle East, only 14% of companies worldwide, and 10% outside the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), stated a strong negative effect on business. 27% of the surveyed companies stated to expect revenue growth above 5% annually, while 38% anticipate stable revenues.

AI is becoming increasingly widespread, Global AI adoption in the exhibition industry is also steadily increasing, with 91% of companies now reporting the use of AI, a 4% increase from the previous report.

Chris Skeith OBE, Managing Director and CEO at UFI, commented, “Our barometer indicates that there is no real evidence of a significant knock-on effect from the current Middle East disruption outside the GCC, and positive trends remain around the world, despite concerns about the state of national economies in some locations. Within the GCC, there is an understandable impact from the conflict, but the situation has positively evolved since our survey, and we are confident that the industry will bounce back quickly.”

This 37th edition of the bi-annual industry report was concluded in June 2026, which was based on data from 466 companies in 59 countries and regions. It also includes outlooks and analyses for 20 focus countries and regions: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, China, Colombia, France, Germany, Greece, India, Italy, Malaysia, Mexico, South Africa, Spain, Thailand, Türkiye, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, the UK, and the USA, as well as five additional aggregated regional zones.

Deutsche Messe organises 81 events in 2025

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Hannover, Germany, 2nd July: International exhibition organiser, Deutsche Messe AG, concluded its 2025 financial year, with revenue of €305 million (US$358 million) and a net profit of €18 million (US$21 million).

In 2025, the company organised a total of 81 trade fairs and exhibitions in Germany and abroad, featuring some 26,000 exhibiting companies and attracting about 3.4 million visitors from more than 150 countries. Of the 81 events, 48 were held abroad, including several new additions.

Dr. Jochen Köckler, Chairman of the Managing Board of Deutsche Messe AG, said, “The 2025 financial year demonstrates that our international portfolio, strong event brands, and clear strategic direction have positioned us well for the future. Especially in economically challenging times, our trade fairs continue to prove their value for companies around the world. At the same time, we are making important strategic decisions to secure the long-term future of our business by expanding our international operations, launching new event formats, and further developing our exhibition grounds in Hanover.”

In the coming, the company will launch 10 new international events to develop its international portfolio and strengthen global demand for its industry-leading exhibitions.