Informa Markets launches Connect Marketplace in Hong Kong

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Hong Kong, 7th November: The world leading exhibition organiser, Informa Markets, will launch an Asia Pacific edition of its U.S.-based business event series, Connect Marketplace, in Hong Kong next year.

Organised by Informa Markets and co-organised by the Informa Connect division, the new event is scheduled to be held from 19th to 21st March, taking place at the AsiaWorld-Expo (AWE). It will occupy an exhibition area of 11,360 m2 in two halls, about 250 MICE brands are expected ranging from convention bureaus, hotels and resort groups, event companies, event-tech suppliers, and airlines. More than 600 buyers will also be hosted along with 8,000 delegates and trade visitors.

The theme of the new event will be “Your Bleisure, Our Pleasure”, to vie for a share of the business event buyer-supplier market in Asia Pacific.

Margaret Ma Connolly, CEO and president of Informa Markets Asia, said, “Connect Marketplace Hong Kong 2025 is committed to fostering impactful connections and empowering the MICE community in Asia.”

EXPO REAL Asia Pacific to open in Singapore in 2026

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Singapore, 5th November: Messe München announced to expand its EXPO REAL portfolio, the leading property and investment trade fair in Europe, to Asia.

EXPO REAL Asia Pacific will be held in Singapore, running from 15th to 17th June 2026. It targets to bring together the key players from the real estate, infrastructure and investment sectors across the Asia Pacific region, offering opportunities for business development, networking and knowledge exchange.

The new event will feature cities and national pavilions, development agencies, to showcase upcoming urban development plans ready for global investment and public-private partnerships. Exhibitors, including developers, investors, consultants, and technology providers, will present their latest projects and services with complementing the eco-system.

EXPO REAL Asia Pacific will run alongside the World Cities Summit, to further strengthen the exchange between players from the infrastructure and environment sector, including the fields of urban policy and planning, research and innovation, real estate and urban development, to create additional synergies.

Stefan Rummel and Dr. Reinhard Pfeiffer, CEOs of Messe München, commented, “With EXPO REAL Asia Pacific, we are expanding our international network and creating a platform for the growing real estate market in the Asia Pacific region in Singapore from 2026. In an environment characterized by new urban development projects and growth, we offer relevant players an ideal opportunity to exchange ideas about markets and projects in the region. Our aim is to tap into an exciting market and promote long-term partnerships.”

Made-in-China.com’s profit up 15% in Q3

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Nanjing, 31st October: Shenzhen-listed Focus Technology, which owns and operates the B2B trading platform, Made-in-China.com, recently released its financial results for the quarter ended 30th September 2024. Revenues were US$59 million, an 8.5% increase over the third quarter of 2023. Profit in the quarter also grew 15% year-on-year, amounting to US$18 million.

The Nanjing-based company also reported the result for the first nine months of 2024, generating revenues of US$172 million, an increase of 7.8% from the same period of the previous year. The company’s profit increase by 20% year-on-year, reaching US$51 million. The diluted earnings per share in the nine-month period were RMB 1.1297 (US$0.16).

As of 30th September, the company reported that Made-in-China.com had some 26,668 paid members on its English-language platform. The company did not disclose membership numbers on its Chinese-language platform.

Netsun posts loss in Q3

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Hangzhou, 30th October: Shenzhen-listed Zhejiang Netsun, a B2B e-commerce platform, recently reported its financial results for the nine months ended 30th September 2024. The company’s revenues were US$54 million, representing a year-on-year growth of 19% from the same period of 2023.

However, the company posted a net loss of US$2.1 million, comparing with a net profit of US$2.1 million in the first nine months in 2023. The company did not comment on the loss in the reported period.

The company also announced its results for the quarter ended 30th September. Revenues jumped 41% year-on-year, amounting at US$19 million. However, the company recorded a net loss of US$1.7 million, compared with a net profit of US$518,000 in the third quarter of 2023.

Quick takes

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BESydney CEO to step down

Business Events Sydney (BESydney) announced its CEO, Lyn Lewis-Smith, will step down in July 2025. Meanwhile, BESydney also held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) for the financial year 2023-2024, reporting strong results: 69 meetings attracted 51,000 delegates generating an estimated A$216 million (US$144 million).

Beijing to attract more international meetings

Beijing Municipal Culture and Tourism Bureau aims to attract more international association meetings to the city by intensifying efforts. Earlier this year, the bureau led a delegation of business events industry stakeholders in Beijing to major B2B business event tradeshows to promote the city. In terms of hardware, Beijing offers more than 500 star-rated hotels, which can host large-scale conferences and events.

HKTDC’s lighting fairs draw 60,000 buyers

The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) has recently concluded it Hong Kong International Lighting Fair (Autumn Edition), Hong Kong International Outdoor & Tech Light Expo, and Eco Expo Asia, attracting some 60,000 buyers from 150 countries and regions. The survey done during the fairs showed 61% of lighting industry respondents expect overall sales to grow in the next 12-24 months, and 61% of respondent foresee AI as a key growth driver in lighting industry.

New record for exhibitor number at Global Sources Hong Kong Shows

Hong Kong-based Global Sources concluded its October 2024 Global Sources Hong Kong Shows at AsiaWorld-Expo (AWE), setting a new record for exhibitor number, with nearly 5,000 Asian suppliers, showcasing over 500,000 innovative products across the three phases. More than 120,000 attendees visited the shows, with an increase in professional buyers from Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Southeast Asia.