Apollo bought 140 trade shows. Searchlight bought CloserStill. MARI bought the consumer side. In short: Apollo, Searchlight, and MARI just spent $5B on live events in seven months. What looked like isolated deals may signal a broader shift: live events becoming a serious asset class. David Adler spells out the profound implications of these mega-purchases.
Three of the world’s leading events and exhibition associations have joined forces to unite and strengthen their European advocacy work under a single body: the European Events and Exhibition Industry Alliance (EEEIA). The move expands the existing European Exhibition Industry Alliance (EEIA), founded by EMECA and UFI in 2012, to formally incorporate ICCA…
Following the recent deal around UK-based exhibition organiser Closer Still, M&A activity in the business events sector is heating up. Apollo-managed funds agreed to acquire Emerald Holding Inc. and Questex LLC in separate transactions, with plans to combine the two companies into a privately owned North American business-to-business events and media platform. From Eventsful…
IAPCO’s “Dear Associations” campaign ensures that leaders from the worlds of healthcare, science, technology, trade and academia are the faces and voices that can best influence policymakers in destinations worldwide to truly understand the impact and value of association meetings. Leading PCOs describe why this issue is so critical and what needs to change for…
Held in the RDS Dublin, 11-13 September 2025, The 14th Autism Europe Congress hosted by Ireland’s national autism charity, AsIAm, delivered on intentional change established well before the functional planning of the congress began. Dr. Noel Mitchell, Chairman & Managing Director of Keynote PCO reflects on how the Conference Ambassador, AsIAm Founder & CEO, Adam…
Australian PCO owner Emma Bowyer argues that legacy measurement is woefully absent across most of Asia-Pacific Destination Marketing Organisations, and that it’s become the responsibility of event organisers to educate clients to include such metrics in the way they evaluate the impact of their meetings. A Robotics conference that will track 200 local high-school attendees…
BEIA CEO Lisa Hopkins outlines the combination of advantageous factors and hard work that have enabled New Zealand’s industry to enjoy the proactive support of their recently appointed Minister. With a ministerial portfolio that covers social development and employment, the voluntary sector and disabilities, as well as tourism and hospitality, the new Minister is an…
Business Events Sydney CEO Amanda Lampe and ACCI’s Director Strategic Partnerships & Engagement Andrew Hiebl describe the necessity of building strategic partnerships aligned to the economic and societal development priorities of government, rather than petitioning or lobbying for support. Our role as an at-scale medium of knowledge and know-how transfers and an effective means of…
Germany continues to strengthen its position as a leading destination for international meetings, congresses and events. The MICE sector remains stable, reinforcing the value of personal connections and strong networks. Despite global market pressures, Germany’s event industry continues to demonstrate resilience, adaptability, and a strong focus on quality and international appeal.
Singapore is announcing major new long-term-focused infrastructure and investment initiatives on the back of continuing strong growth, whilst preparing for short-term challenges related to the Gulf conflict by expanding funding support for 2026 events. From M&C Asia…
Geneviève Leclerc CEO & Co-founder #MEET4IMPACT Gregg Talley President & CEO Talley James Latham Founder & Producer The Iceberg Amelia Roziman Chief Consultant LegacyMade Caroline MacKenzie Executive Director ISHA – The Hip Preservation Society Ben Hainsworth Executive Director EASL Martin Sirk Founder & Owner Sirk Serendipity Sarah Fleming Founder & Managing Director SFA-Connect Oscar Cerezales…
The Autism Europe Congress 2025 in Dublin was more than a gathering of global experts – it marked a decisive shift in how events can be designed, delivered, and experienced when inclusion is not an add-on, but the foundation. That shift began long before the doors of the RDS opened in September 2025. When Fáilte…
Futurist, urbanist, author Greg Lindsay’s speech to the Events Industry Council on Global Meetings Industry Day draws parallels between the nuclear fusion of stars and serendipitous power of both cities and business events to unlock human potential. An inspiring take on the value of our industry that speaks to policymakers in language they will understand.
In 2025, IAPCO Accredited PCO members organised 23,512 meetings and events across 187 office locations worldwide (an increase of 20.77% from 2024), with over 7.7 million participants. While the number of meetings delivered has increased, average participant numbers per event have dropped from 408 to 328, pointing to a market that is changing shape.
Live B2B event production company Encore and consultancy/research company Boldpush surveyed 447 event professionals to map the current state of experience design, focusing on four key areas: programming, connection, technology and trust. Headline finding: events and participant demands are evolving faster than the playbooks currently being used. Download the full report, free of charge…
PCMA’s President & CEO Sherrif Karamat argues that it is past time for the Business Events industry’s myriad associations to consolidate in order to deliver better value to all industry stakeholders on both the supplier side and amongst all categories of organiser. Failure to modernise and evolve will lead many organisations to be non-selected by…
Whether extending trade from exhibition halls into production floors, or grounding conference insights in real-world settings, factory access is playing a bigger role in MICE programmes. In sectors such as electric vehicles, robotics, aerospace and precision engineering, access to factories is important in driving programme differentiation, providing privileged insights and cementing economic positioning. From M&C/ASIA…
Citizen engagement was the prime objective of this initiative by the European Network of Living Labs, who transformed Andorra la Vella’s main square into a conference space, earning them the Event Innovation Award at the European Association Awards 2026. A great example for other associations aiming to break out of their traditional “bubble”. From Boardroom…
At MICE City Summit, the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau united government, academia, and vocational education to tackle Asia-Pacific’s workforce shortages and drive sustainable growth in secondary cities, signing MOUs involving the Ministry of Interior, utilising the business events industry to distribute wealth, empower local entrepreneurs, and elevate local governance. From TTGmice…
With over half the population and rapidly evolving industries, Asia-Pacific is poised to shape the future of many sectors. PCMA’s Kelly Ricker (Chair, Board of Directors), and Sheriff Karamat (President & CEO) assert that APAC is entering a phase where it can redefine what associations and their meetings are meant to do. From Association Commons…
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