GES appoints new leadership in India

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India, 15th April: GES EMEA has appointed Pranay Chandran as its new Head of Operations and Business Development, to offer local exhibition support to clients in India, with more personalised support with local expertise.

The team delivered its first show in February, Informa’s Delhi Jewellery and Gem Fair in New Delhi, providing GES Show Ready stands, conference areas, and networking lounges.

Following its expansion into France, Germany and Qatar, GES EMEA now provides local exhibition support in India, including sustainable stand options aligned with its ESG commitments.

Lucknow to have new International Convention and Exhibition Centre

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Lucknow, 14th April: India’s Lucknow will have a world-class International Convention and Exhibition Centre, under the Avadh Vihar Yojana. It will cover 132,000 m2 of space, which accommodates up to 10,000 people.

The new venue will feature four exhibition halls and a grand auditorium with a seating capacity of 2,500, targeting to be a premier destination for large-scale national and international events.

The new venue will cost ₹10.6 billion (US$124 million), and it is targeted to complete within 18 months.

DLG Exhibitions’ revenues up 16% in FY2024

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Shanghai, 12th April: Last week, Shanghai-listed DLG Exhibitions (formerly Shanghai Lansheng) released its financial results for the year ended 31st December 2024. Revenues in the year were US$225 million. This represents a year-on-year increase of 16%.

Net profit in 2024 grew by 11% year-on-year, amounting at US$42 million. Diluted earnings per share for the year were RMB 0.49 (US$0.067).

In 2024, DLG Exhibitions’ business segment of exhibition organisation, exhibition hall operation and exhibition chain service posted improvements. During the year, the company hosted, organised and participated in 59 exhibitions, with a total exhibition scale of 1.24million m2, featuring 17,600 exhibitors and 1.91 million visitors.

The Shanghai World Expo Exhibition and Convention Center, which is operated by DLG Exhibitions, hosted some 100 projects, occupying more than 10 million m2, showcasing 20,000 exhibitors and attracting more than 2.15 million exhibition visitors.

Quick takes

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UFI celebrates 100th birthday

On 15th April 2025, UFI, The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, marked 100 years since it was founded. In its early days, UFI’s aims was to unite and collaborate international trade fairs to boost the international economy after World War I. Today, UFI, headquarters in Paris, has become the association for the exhibition industry worldwide.

30,000+ export exhibitors at Canton Fair

Canton Fair – The 137th edition of the China Import and Export Fair, opened with the number of export exhibitors exceeding 30,000 for the first time in its history. Running from 15th April to 5th May 2025 in Guangzhou, Canton Fair featured about 31,000 participating companies, including nearly 1,000 import exhibitors. According to media release, more than 200,000 overseas buyers from 215 countries and regions have pre-registered.

Western Sydney Convention Centre expands

The Western Sydney Convention Centre (WSCC) will increase its event capacity to over 4,000 m2 by integrating services with the Panthers Precinct. The expansion will provide a combined conference destination capable of seating up to 2,800 delegates or accommodating 10,000 in an exhibition format. WSCC is located a 21-minute drive from the Western Sydney International Airport (WSI), which is scheduled to open in 2026.

HKTDC’s electronics fairs attract 88,000 buyers

The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) concluded its Hong Kong Electronics Fair (Spring Edition), and InnoEX, which co-organised with the Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau of the HKSAR Government. Running from 13th to 16th April 2025, at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC), the two fairs showcased more than 2,800 exhibitors from 29 countries and regions, attracting some 88,000 buyers from 148 countries and regions.