Kai Hattendorf conducts a deep dive into Informa’s recent state-of-business report for the first half of 2026, drawing our attention to the impact of geopolitics on global trade show sector performance, and the company’s strategic and tactical decisions on issues such as event postponement vs cancellation, regional prioritisation and differentiation, and risk management.
Skift analyses new research from Freeman that confirms what meeting planners have suspected for years: the agenda they spend months building isn’t where attendees are finding the most value. Attendees say they would ideally spend 54% of their learning time in unstructured formats rather than formal sessions. At trade shows, that figure rises to 64%.
TEAMS: TRAVEL, EVENTS AND MANAGEMENT IN SPORTS, is the world’s leading conference and expo for the sports-event industry. Presented by SportsTravel, and hosted by the Greater Birmingham CVB, TEAMS ’26 will be held October 26–29 in Birmingham, Alabama. For more than 25 years, TEAMS has helped define the sports-event and appointment-based trade show industries.
Northstar’s TMS APAC is the leading tradeshow gathering event organisers and suppliers to connect, contract and forge new partnerships within the global MICE industry. Discover leading destinations, venues, hotels and other key MICE suppliers, complemented by an exclusive hosted buyer programme, bringing senior meetings, conventions, events and incentives buyers to a bustling tradeshow floor.
IMEX Frankfurt is where the global meetings, events and incentive travel industry comes together for the largest trade show of its kind in Europe. This is where you can walk through the world in a day, immerse yourself in the latest industry developments and ideas, and find yourself at the heart of the industry’s community.
M&C Asia Connections is an exclusive tabletop tradeshow that unites Asia’s top suppliers and global buyers in the MICE industry. This premier event offers a compelling agenda tailored for forward-thinking MICE professionals to forge impactful connections through pre-scheduled one-to-one business appointments and enriching networking sessions.
Saudi Arabia has invested billions to become a global meetings hub, but Routes World’s decision to move its flagship event to Frankfurt shows attendee confidence can outweigh even the most ambitious destination strategy. It will now run October 21–23 at Messe Frankfurt, instead of October 27–29 at Riyadh Front Exhibition and Conference Center. From Skift…
With support from Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau, RX is readying its IBTM series for another foray into the region after Covid-era knockbacks in Singapore and reportedly dim market expectations in Hong Kong. Bangkok International Trade & Exhibition Centre will host IBTM APAC, 9-10 June 2027, intensifying competition among APAC event organisers and host cities.
Step into the global hub of the events community. IBTM World is where connections spark ideas, collaborations fuel transformation, and the business events industry shapes what’s next. Three days in Barcelona to meet, share, learn — and move the world forward. Meet 2,500 destinations, hotels, event tech providers, and suppliers from 150+ countries.
AIME has opened its 2026 edition, recording record growth in buyers and exhibitors and highlighting strong progress toward its long-term sustainability commitments under the Net Zero Carbon Events initiative. Exhibitors from 36 countries and territories are attending, with more than 25,000 meetings scheduled to take place between buyers and exhibitors across the two-day tradeshow.
2025 marked a major shift for the events industry, and Freeman’s End-of-Year Trends Recap examines what was most impactful. One of the significant opportunities, and challenges, coming in 2026 is how the industry must prioritise stronger retention strategies. Attendee retirement is outpacing attendee retention, creating a significant workforce challenge over the next three years.
This report from IMEX explores how design matters not only at events, but across adjacent fields where human experience, brand perception and long-term impact are at stake. Drawing on research, industry insight and real-world examples, it examines how intentional design strengthens and seeds relationships, builds brand power and reinforces long-term commercial resilience.
The German Trade Show industry contributes around €30bn annually to Germany’s economic output and safeguards at least 280,000 jobs, according to a recent report from the economic research institute Prognos, commissioned by the Association of the German Trade Fair Industry (AUMA). The study is based on surveys of over 33,700 visitors and 17,700 exhibiting companies…
Website: View website
Eva started her career in the travel industry working as a Manager/Director for Thomas Cook and American Express Business Travel. After 6 years abroad in Ghana and Malta as an expatriate and family time she started working for Messe Frankfurt visitor services in 2006. After different roles and accompanying various projects within the visitor service…
From TSNN: The global exhibitions industry is entering 2026 with a burst of momentum, as leading organizers push into new regions, sectors and formats through a mix of high‑profile launches and strategic acquisitions. From safety and energy to tourism and design, established players are widening their footprints and accelerating growth plans to meet rising demand…
Recent deals and debuts show how specialization and regional diversification are fuelling the next wave of events trade shows and other commercial business events. Global organizers are accelerating growth through bold new launches and strategic acquisitions, reshaping the trade show landscape across multiple sectors. From TSNN…
A new analytical framework and report breaks down exhibition organizer income into five segments. Former UFI CEO Kai Hattendorf has developed the “5 S Model for Organiser Sales Segmentation,” as a way to address the long‑standing challenge of standardising how the industry measures and ranks the revenue streams of trade show companies and event organisers.
A monthly update of reports, news, events and insights into the exhibition and trade show sector from UFI, The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry – this is where the global community stays connected and informed.
From TSNN: ECA’s Tommy Goodwin explains what’s at stake as SCOTUS hears arguments in two tariff cases on November 5 and why it matters to the trade show industry: Since January 20, the White House has been ground zero for tariff policy changes negatively impacting the trade show industry. In the coming days, the focus…
From TSNN: A newly authorized $250 Visa Integrity Fee could reshape the cost — and feasibility — of attending trade shows and exhibitions in the U.S. Though slated to take effect October 1, 2025, the fee remains in bureaucratic limbo. No one’s paying it yet, but many are bracing for impact.
In a world where sustainability is high on the agenda, business events organisers are facing growing calls to demonstrate why and how their activities help reduce overall carbon emissions, to justify the carbon-cost of their attendees’ travel. This is a great example of taking an evidence-led approach to this challenge. From MIX Meetings…
Powered by 