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.
AEV welcomes Bahraini venue as newest international member
The Association of Event Venues (AEV) has revealed Beyon Al Dana Amphitheatre, in Sakhir, Bahrain, as its newest international member. Beyon Al Dana Amphitheatre hosts indoor and outdoor live events and has a capacity of 10,000. The venue is built approximately 15 metres into the ground in the…
Leading exhibition organisers champion Global Exhibitions Day 2026
The world’s leading exhibition organisers, including Clarion Events, Comexposium, Emerald, Informa Markets, Messe Frankfurt and RX, will join forces on Wednesday, 3 June 2026, to mark the 11th edition of Global Exhibitions Day (GED). Celebrated annually and facilitated by UFI, The Global…
It-sa and ECSO sign European Sovereignty Partnership
The European Cyber Security Organisation (ECSO) and it-sa – Home of IT Security, have formalised their European Sovereignty Partnership, an exclusive agreement aimed at establishing the trade fair as the hub of reference for cybersecurity collaboration in Europe. It-sa is a key B2B platform for IT…
AEV renames MASA group as Event Sector CTBIE
The Association of Event Venues (AEV) has renamed its MASA (multi-association security awareness) cross-association working group to the Event Sector Counter Terrorism Business Information Exchange (CTBIE). The group will be referred to as Event Sector CTBIE, and operates as a subgroup of the…
GUEXT 2026 confirms over 50 companies after first stand allocation meeting
GUEXT, the Exhibition of Suppliers and Services for the Hospitality Sector, organised by IFEMA MADRID at its own venue in the Spanish capital in conjunction with the Spanish Federation of Associations of Equipment Manufacturers for Hospitality and Related Industries (FELAC), has announced the…
Marketplace Events makes largest acquisition in company history
North America-based consumer and trade show organiser Marketplace Events (MPE), has announced the acquisition of the Travel & Adventure Shows, the only series of consumer-facing travel trade shows in the United States. The transaction, which closed 1 May, 2026, represents the largest acquisition in…
PLASA managing director Peter Heath to retire
Peter Heath will step down as managing director of the Professional Lighting and Sound Association (PLASA). He will remain in the role while a successor is recruited and plans to continue supporting the organisation through the #WeMakeEvents campaign and in a consultancy capacity after retiring.…
RX launches real-time data and AI-powered personalisation platform
RX, a global leader in events and exhibitions, has unveiled a new digital platform designed to redefine how people discover, connect and do business at live events. RX NOW, offering real-time data and AI-powered personalisation, claims to deliver smarter, more personalised and more productive…
CloserStill sale update: deal values business at £1.35bn in second-largest trade show sale ever
Big news has arrived in the trade show industry. UK organiser CloserStill Media has been valued at £1.35bn ($1.77bn) after Searchlight Capital Partners joined existing owner Providence Equity Partners. This deal ranks as the second largest in trade show history. Searchlight takes stake in…
Clarion Events North America appoints new EVP of Energy
Clarion Events North America has announced that Wayne Bishop Jr. has joined the organisation as executive vice-president of energy. With more than 30 years in the electric power and energy sectors, Bishop brings expertise, a strong network of relationships, and a proven track record in strategy,…
Searchlight takes stake in CloserStill Media
US-based Searchlight Capital Partners which, in partnership with Providence Equity Partners, acquired global events business Hyve Group plc in June 2023 for around £524m, has made a major investment in exhibition organiser CloserStill Media, taking joint control of the business alongside existing…
Exhibitions Industry Collective partners with CNTV to launch workforce development video series
The Exhibitions Industry Collective in the US has partnered with CNTV to produce a new workforce development video series highlighting the diverse career opportunities in the exhibitions and events industry. The initiative is a collaborative effort by the Exhibitions & Conferences Alliance,…
Bangkok’s crown jewel: How the QSNCC welcomed the world’s exhibition industry
The 2026 UFI Asia-Pacific Conference at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre (QSNCC) reinforced Bangkok’s position as a major hub for business events in the region, while drawing attention to a venue that has played a central role in shaping Thailand’s meetings and exhibitions landscape…
ASP launches AI exhibitor profile tool
ASP has launched an AI tool designed to improve the quality and completeness of exhibitor profiles on event websites. The company’s new product, E-Zone AI Assist, generates structured exhibitor content using information pulled from a company’s website. Exhibitors enter their URL into a guided…
Payments Association CEO to step down after Nineteen Group investment
Ben Agnew will step down as chief executive of The Payments Association, following a period of growth and a recent investment by Nineteen Group in 2025. Agnew led the organisation through a phase of expansion that saw revenues and membership triple. The association also broadened its commercial…
Excel London attracts 250,000 visitors in a single week
The Excel London venue says it has recorded one of its largest ever seven-day attendances since hosting 2012 Olympic Games. AWS Summit, TCS London Marathon Running Show, London Card Show, and Retail Technology Show were among 10 successful events delivered and the visitor figures more than twice…
Congress Messe Innsbruck CEO steps down
Congress Messe Innsbruck (CMI) is facing an abrupt change in leadership with CEO Christian Mayerhofer stepping down for personal reasons. He has managed the operations of Tyrol’s leading events company since 2013. The shareholders of CMI – the City of Innsbruck, the State of Tyrol, the Tyrolean…
Buyers are doubling down on niche event platforms
Event M&A deal activity has risen consistently over the past three years, according to GMA’s M&A Update Report (March 2026). This stands in contrast with a more mixed picture in media M&A transactions. Private equity expands in events Confidence in face-to-face platforms remains strong among both…
PRA appoints industry veteran as trade show director of sales
US business events and destination management company, PRA has announced that Zachary Watson has joined the company as director of sales, trade shows. He brings more two decades of experience driving strategy, enterprise partnerships and large-scale B2B event growth. Watson will work on the Global…
EMAX 2026 returns bigger in Penang with five co-located shows
NRG Exhibitions (M) Sdn Bhd ‘s 6th Edition of Electronics Manufacturing Expo Asia (EMAX) and the 5th Edition of Penang Manufacturing Expo (PMAX) is set to give fresh impetus in driving the future of electronics, semiconductor and manufacturing industries. This year the show, which runs 22–24 July…