Industry News
Curated headlines from the trade show and exhibition industry's top publications, associations, and expert blogs. Stay current with exhibitor announcements, show openings, industry trends, and market news from across the events world. Whether you follow technology, healthcare, food, or manufacturing events, our news feed surfaces the stories that matter to trade show professionals, exhibitors, and event marketers.
UFI European Conference draws record numbers in Izmir
Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, UFI’s European Conference, hosted by İZFAŞ in İzmir, Türkiye, 3-5 June 2026, was the association’s largest regional conference to date. It welcomed over 400 delegates from across Europe and beyond. Tuğçe Cumalıoğlu, CEO of İZFAŞ, commented: “Welcoming…
Two free pitches up for grabs for event tech suppliers at the Global Event Tech Summit 2026
The International Confex Global Event Tech Summit 2026 is on the lookout for two event tech startups to demo their product live to a room of senior event professionals, and it won’t cost you a thing. We’re inviting early-stage event tech companies (founded or new products created from 2023 onwards)…
IAAPA Expo Europe returns to London with largest edition to date
Registration has opened for IAAPA Expo Europe 2026, which returns to London for the first time in four years. The attractions industry event will take place at Excel London from 21-25 September and is set to be the largest edition in its history, according to organisers. IAAPA said the show has…
All the acquisitions in May 2026
By John McGovern, CEO/Owner – Grimes McGovern & Associates May 2026 was an important month for large-platform B2B events M&A. On 1 May, Searchlight Capital Partners announced their investment in CloserStill Media, alongside existing backer Providence Equity Partners. Ten days later, Apollo…
The flip has become the hold: What 20 years of private equity says about the future of events
By Dr. Barış Onay Private equity has been buying and selling event businesses for more than 20 years. But the past few weeks felt different. Across three major transactions, more than £4bn of reported or estimated deal value has been attached to B2B event assets. CloserStill went for a reported…
ISPO Impact Foundation introduced with launch of new €1m grant fund
Founded by ISPO, the sports and outdoor trade fair, the ISPO Impact Foundation has been unveiled, alongside details of the €1m global grant fund it will be distributing annually. The independent foundation will harness the power of outdoor recreation and sport as a force for good, in pursuit of a…
Mixed signals from Hong Kong: exhibitor and visitor numbers drop as government support scheme ends
The Hong Kong Exhibition & Convention Industry Association (HKECIA) has claimed its latest annual exhibition survey highlights strong momentum across the sector despite a volatile global economic backdrop that has seen a big drop in international exhibitor and visitor numbers. The new survey,…
The hidden tech gap: Why are event operations still stuck in spreadsheets?
As conversations around AI continue to dominate the exhibitions sector, much of the focus remains on attendee-facing innovation: AI-powered matchmaking, personalised agendas and smarter registration journeys. Yet behind the scenes, many operations teams rely on spreadsheets, flooded inboxes and…
WTM London launches dedicated travel tech event for 2026
WTM London will launch a new co-located event, WTM Travel Tech, at its 2026 edition as interest in travel technology continues to grow among exhibitors and visitors. The new show will occupy its own hall with a dedicated entrance and will run alongside WTM London, which attracts more than 46,000…
World Miniature Hobby Show & Malaysia Competition (MALCOM) scale up in Penang
The 11th World Miniature Hobby Show (WMHS) & Malaysia Competition (MALCOM) following a rebrand, will return to Penang, 13-14 June 2026 at the Setia SPICE Convention Centre. The show – formerly known as the Malaysia International Hobby Show and held at St Giles Wembley Hotel in Penang – will bring…
HairCon returns to Manchester
HairCon’s 2026 edition opens on Saturday 13 June at O2 Victoria Warehouse in Manchester with an invitation-only evening event, before opening its doors to the wider industry for a trade show proper on 14-15 June. The opening night runs from 6pm to 11pm. It features a series of live creative…
4Wall consolidates UK operations into Hertford site as part of European expansion
4Wall Entertainment will consolidate its London, Aylesbury, and Blackburn operations into a single site at Caxton Hill in Hertford, with the facility expected to become fully operational by summer 2026. The move will bring the company’s video, lighting, audio, and rigging operations together at one…
HKECIA elects first woman chair to succeed Stuart Bailey
Wendy Lai has been elected the new chairman of the HKECIA. She is the first woman to lead the association in its 36-year history and succeeds Stuart Bailey who has stepped down after ten years at the helm. Bailey was named Honorary Life President in recognition of his contribution to the…
Data reveals shift toward travel managers managing meetings
New research from Business Travel Show Europe reveals a significant shift in corporate travel roles, with an 8.4% rise in travel managers who have taken on responsibility for meetings management within the last year. According to the survey of 192 travel professionals, 60.5% of corporate travel…
Manta Middle East launches new event investment platform in the UAE
Manta Media Capital is positioning for the future event market resumption and anticipating a return to historic growth pattern trajectory in the region with the launch of Manta Middle East, a new regional platform created to invest in, launch and scale high-potential event businesses across the…
Northstar Travel Group signs enterprise agreement with Explori
Media, events and market intelligence company Northstar Travel Group has signed a global enterprise agreement with Explori, a leader in event measurement and benchmarking. The agreement expands Northstar’s use of Explori’s platform and AI-powered analytics capabilities across its portfolio of…
Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre CEO elected UFI president for 2027-28
CEO of the Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre, Said Al Shanfari will join the UFI Presidential Trio as incoming president in November 2026 and will take over the reins as president in November 2027 at the 94th UFI Global Congress in Guadalajara, Mexico. The UFI Presidential Trio for the November…
The Soar Point: Three quotes to change our world
By Phil Soar, co-founder of CloserStill Group and Chairman of Nineteen Group In the space of just 8 weeks this summer, four of the ten largest exhibition groups in the world (excluding the Messen) have been sold – CloserStill, Emerald, Questex and Hyve. This is unprecedented in the history of our…
Exhibitions drive people, performance and planet outcomes
On 3 June we mark the 11th Global Exhibition Day #GED2026 with three core messages under the main overarching theme of ‘Exhibitions drive opportunities’. These messages highlight the wide-ranging opportunities driven by exhibitions across industries all over the world: Exhibitions drive…
Hyve gets new PE ownership in deal with H&F
Global exhibition and events organiser Hyve has announced that private equity firm Hellman & Friedman (H&F) is to acquire the company from Providence Equity Partners L.L.C. and Searchlight Capital Partners. The deal, according to the Financial Times, is thought to be worth $1.8bn, up from the $500m…