STB and CCPIT sign MoU for exhibition industry

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Singapore/China, 22nd January: Last week, the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) and he China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), to cooperate in the exhibition industry.

The three-year agreement focuses on three key areas:

1.     Exhibition Facilitation Support: CCPIT will encourage Chinese exhibition enterprises and institutions to organise international economic and trade exhibitions in Singapore, while STB will provide assistance;

2.     Joint Promotion Efforts: CCPIT and STB will strengthen publicity efforts and promote international exhibitions in key economic sectors where in the two countries share synergies in, to support Singapore and Chinese enterprises expand international cooperation and enhance their global presence;

3.     Deepening MICE Exchange and Cooperation: CCPIT and STB will promote knowledge exchange and explore in-depth cooperation in shared focus areas.

Mr. Wu Shengrong, Director General of the Exhibition Management Department (Office of International Exhibitions Bureau and World Expo Affairs) of the CCPIT, said, “The signing of the Memorandum between the CCPIT and the STB is an important measure to deepen China-Singapore cooperation in the exhibition industry. It holds great significance for strengthening industrial chain ties between China, Singapore and Southeast Asia and boosting regional economic prosperity. It is anticipated that through the practical cooperation between our two institutions, positive contributions will be made to deepening exhibition cooperation in key industries and promoting the development of China-Singapore economic and trade relations.”

GL events posts 5.3% revenue growth in FY2025

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Lyon, 22nd January: GL events Group released its preliminary results for the year ended 31st December 2025, posting revenues for the year of €1.7 billion (US$2.02 billion), a year-on-year growth of 5.3%.

In terms of business sectors, more than 56% of revenues were generated from GL events Live, amounting at €969 million (US$1.1 billion), down 5.4% year-on-year.

The second largest sector was GL events Venues, generating revenues of €514 million (US$604 million), representing year-on-year increase of 16%, primarily driven by operations in France, Europe and Brazil.

The remaining revenues, €238 million (US$280 million), were generated by GL events Exhibitions, jumping 41.5% over the previous year due to a strong biennial cycle.

Olivier Ginon, Chairman-CEO of GL events, commented, “GL events closes 2025 with a remarkable performance, confirming the strength of our strategic vision and the proven resilience of our responsible business model. This achievement would not have been possible without the dedication and talent of our teams. In an international environment marked by heightened volatility, they demonstrated outstanding agility and determination, delivering sustainable, well-managed growth.”

SMHCC to open new venues in Philippines

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Philippines, 21st January: SM Hotels and Conventions Corp.’s (SMHCC) SMX Seaside Cebu and SMXCITE (SMX Center for International Trade and Exhibitions) are scheduled to open in the next few years.

SMX Seaside Cebu will open in the fourth quarter this year, with an exhibition capacity of 18,000 m2, which will be integrated into the larger Cebu South Coast City development.

SMXCITE will open in 2027, with 35,000 m2 of integrated complex, including an 18,000 m2 of exhibition capacity, at the SMX Mall of Asia. It will boast column-free halls, multi-event capacity, and expanded plenary capacity within a highly accessible district.

Walid Wafik, SMHCC’s senior vice president for operations, was quoted, “While regional competitors maintain larger inventories, Pasay’s advantage is integration. The district’s mix of hotels, retail, entertainment, an arena, bay-side lifestyle offerings, and airport proximity delivers a compelling value proposition beyond venue size alone… As we expand to 10 venues nationwide by 2027, this capability-building arm becomes even more critical. Growth in the provinces requires not only world‑class facilities but world‑class talent to operate them.”

Quick takes

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Comexposium’s new Executive Committee

International exhibition organiser, Comexposium, announced to establish a new Executive Committee to accelerate the growth of its brands and to drive its transformation. Following the appointment of Pablo Nakhlé Cerruti as CEO in August 2025, he has appointed eight members to lead the company’s strategy, performance and transformation: Carine Preterre (Managing Director, France Exhibitions), Rodolphe Lameyse (Managing Director, Food & Beverage Division), Driss Tazi (Managing Director, EMEA, US & Group Transformation), Elaine Chia (CEO, Asia-Pacific), Arnaud Boussemart (Group Chief Financial Officer), Ronen Cohen (Group Director, Operations & Purchasing), Morgan Lavielle (Group Director, Communications & CSR), and Sarah Martin (Group Director, Human Resources).

Macau records 40m+ visitor arrivals in 2025

Macau’s Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) released its latest visitor arrivals for the whole year of 2025. Macau welcomed a total of 40,069,360 visitor arrivals during the year, an increase of 15% year-on-year. Same-day visitors grew 25%, while overnight visitors were up by 3.1%. However, the average length of stay of visitors shortened by 0.1 day, at 1.1 days.

Messe Düsseldorf hosts 81 shows in 2025

International exhibition organiser, Messe Düsseldorf GmbH, generated €370 million (US$435 million) in sales in 2025, with profits after taxes of €29 million (US$34 million). During the year, the company hosted a total of 81 trade shows worldwide, of which 26 were held in Düsseldorf. In the period from 2025 to 2027, 19 new events are planned or have already been implemented, with seven in Düsseldorf and five new formats in the Gulf region.