IAPCO elects new President

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Switzerland, 26th February: During its Annual Conference and General Assembly, the International Association of Professional Congress Organisers (IAPCO) appointed Sissi Lignou as its President.

Sissi has served on IAPCO Council for 6 years. Officially elected on 23rd February 2025, Sissi, President and CEO of AEFA Congress in Athens, Greece, has a two-year term as President. She will lead the association, overseeing its strategic direction, ensuring compliance with regulations, advocating for the global meetings industry, and driving IAPCO’s continued growth.

Sissi was quoted, “It is with great honour and a deep sense of responsibility that I step into the role of President of the International Association of Professional Congress Organisers. I am profoundly grateful for the trust placed in me by our vibrant and powerful community… Undoubtedly, our mission and vision to raise the standards of professionalism and achieve excellence could not be accomplished without the incredible dedication of our volunteers, Council Members, Ambassadors, Members of Committees and Task Forces, all of them being passionate professionals who are driven by heart and soul. I take this opportunity to extend my gratitude to them. I would also like to extend a heartfelt thank you to our partners and members for their trust, partnership and support.”

Quick takes

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Informa and DWTC form JV in Dubai

International B2B media, Inform Group, and Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) announced to form a joint venture, Informa International, which will be fully operational by the fourth quarter of 2025. The new JV, headquartered in Dubai, will operate out of the Middle East, South Asia and Africa. Merging DWTC’s exhibitions and Informa’s UAE-based portfolio, Informa International will manage over 40 business events.

Messe Frankfurt’s manufacturing exhibitions concludes in Guangzhou

Guangzhou Guangya Messe Frankfurt concluded its concurrent manufacturing exhibitions, Guangzhou Industrial Technology and Asiamold Select – Guangzhou, and the co-located automation fair, SPS – Smart Production Solutions Guangzhou, on 27th February 2025. Occupying an exhibition area of 31,500 m2, the combined event featured 555 international and domestic exhibitors, attracting 39,127 professional visitors, including nearly 1,000 international visitors from 82 overseas countries and regions. Guangzhou Industrial Technology and Asiamold Select – Guangzhou will return to the China Import and Expo Fair Complex, running from 4th to 6th March 2026. While the next Asiamold Select will be held in Shenzhen, from 26th to 28th August 2025, with Formnext Asia Shenzhen.

Informa’s ACREX India 2025 concludes

Organised by ISHRAE, with Informa Markets in India, ACREX India concluded last month, at the Bangalore International Exhibition Centre (BIEC) in Bengaluru. The event featured the latest technology advancements and HVAC supply chain innovations, showcasing more than 500 exhibitors from over 40 countries and over 30,000 attendees.

HKTDC opens jewellery shows

The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) opened its jewellery shows, the 11th Hong Kong International Diamond, Gem & Pearl Show and 41st Hong Kong International Jewellery Show, featuring some 4,000 exhibitors from over 40 countries and regions, showcasing products of raw materials, finished jewellery pieces, designer brands and gold jewellery, mounting components, product packaging and identification instruments and technology.

gamescom asia x Thailand Game Show launches in Bangkok

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Bangkok, 20th February: Koelnmesse’s gamescom asia, a B2B and B2C platform for the games industry in the Southeast Asia, and Thailand Game Show, a leading B2C gaming showcase in the region, announced to combine forces to create Southeast Asia’s ultimate gaming stage.

gamescom asia was launched in 2021 in Singapore as a key event in the gaming industry, while Thailand Game Show was launched in 2006. The new show, gamescom asia x Thailand Game Show, will be held at Queen Sirikit National Convention Center (QSNCC) in Bangkok, running from 16th to 19th October 2025. It is also targets to be a powerful global business and consumer platform and an electrifying fan-focused gaming experience.

Mathias Kuepper, Managing Director and VP of Asia Pacific at Koelnmesse Pte Ltd, said, “This partnership is a game-changer for the region’s games industry. gamescom asia’s success has been built on a solid foundation in Singapore, where it has flourished since its inception in 2021, positioning Southeast Asia as a hub for gaming innovation. By joining forces with Thailand Game Show, we are unlocking unprecedented opportunities to connect global video game players with one of the world’s most vibrant and passionate gaming communities. With its rich culture and expanding gaming ecosystem, Bangkok is the ideal stage for this exciting next chapter.”

Alibaba’s profit jumps 333% in December quarter 2024

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Hangzhou, 20th February: Last week, the Alibaba Group, the largest e-commerce company in China, released its results for the quarter ended 31st December 2024. The company posted total revenues of US$38 billion in the quarter, up 8% year-on-year.

The net income jumped 333% year-on-year, reaching US$6.4 billion. The company attributed the increase to increase in income from operations, mark-to-market changes from its equity investment.

Revenues from Alibaba’s B2B business in China under the Taobao and Tmall Group, primarily generated through 1688.com, were US$901 million, a year-on-year increase of 24%. Meanwhile, the B2B business under the Alibaba International Digital Commerce Group, primarily operating through Alibaba.com, generated revenues of US$850 million, an 18% increase over the previous year. B2B revenues accounted for only 4.6% of the group’s total revenues in the quarter.

Alibaba also announced its results for the nine months ended 31st December. Revenues in the nine-month period were US$104 billion, an increase of 5.6% year-on-year. Net income grew 62% in the period, amounting at US$16 billion. Diluted earnings per share in the first nine months of the financial year were RMB 6.04 (US$0.83).

Eddie Wu, Chief Executive Officer of Alibaba Group, was quoted, “This quarter’s results demonstrated substantial progress in our ‘user first, AI-driven’ strategies and the reaccelerated growth of our core businesses… Looking ahead, revenue growth at Cloud Intelligence Group driven by AI will continue to accelerate. We will continue to execute against our strategic priorities in e-commerce and cloud computing, including further investment to drive long-term growth.”

Made-in-China.com’s revenue’s up 9% in FY 2024

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Nanjing, 26th February: Earlier this week, Shenzhen-listed Focus Technology, owner and operator of Made-in-China.com, reported its financial results for the year ended 31st December 2023. Revenues in the year were US$228 million. That represents an increase of 9.3% year-on-year.

The Nanjing-based company’s net income in 2024 grew 19% over the figure of 2023, reaching RMB 451,186,149.50 US$62 million. Diluted earnings per share for the year were RMB 1.42 (US$0.195). The company claimed the increase in revenues and net income was mainly due to the growth in Made-in-China’s revenues as well as the company’s cost reduction and efficiency improvement.

As of 31st December, Made-in-China.com had a total of 27,415 paid users on its platform, which is a year-on-year increase of 12%.

Baidu acquires JOYY’s YY Live for US$2.1 billion

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Beijing, 25th February: Baidu, the leading search engine in China, announced to acquire JOYY Inc’s video-based entertainment live streaming business in mainland China for about US$2.1 billion.

Known as YY Live, the video-based entertainment live streaming business was previously owned by JOYY. Under the agreements between Baidu and JOYY, Baidu paid about US$1.6 billion deposited into escrow accounts in accordance with a share purchase agreement, which subsequently ceased to be in force, has been fully released to Baidu. Baidu plans to invest the released funds in its cloud and AI infrastructure.

Quick takes

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2025-26 HK Budget released

Financial Secretary of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), Paul Chan, released the 2025-26 Budget on Wednesday, introducing measures for technological innovation to empower industrial development and facilitate the growth of SMEs and start-ups. The government will also identify suitable sites for developing convention and exhibition facilities in the Northern Metropolis.

Peter Lam renamed as HKTB Chairman

The Hong Kong SAR Government appointed Dr Peter Lam Kin-ngok as the Chairman of the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB), succeeding Dr Pang Yiu-kai, with effect from 1st April 2025. Dr Lam has been a member of HKTB since 2007 and served as Chairman from 2013 to 2019. With his experience in the tourism and commercial sectors and extensive network, he will bring insights and build upon its achievement exploring new source markets and visitor segments, and also developing more diversified tourism products to create business opportunities, inject impetus into economy, to further strengthen Hong Kong’s international status as a world-class travel destination.

Visitor arrivals to Macau up 27% in January 2025

Macau’s Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) released its latest visitor arrivals figures for January 2025. Visitor arrivals to Macau in January increased by 27% year-on-year, with visitor arrivals of 3,646,561. During January, same-day visitors (2,155,279) jumped 46%, while overnight visitors (1,491,282) grew by 7.9%.

Asia Photonics Expo 2025 opens with 344 exhibitors

Asia Photonics Expo (APE) 2025 opened its door at Sands Expo and Convention Centre in Singapore, running from 26th to 28th February, showcasing the latest advancements in optical communications, optics, lasers, sensing, quantum technology, and displays. Under the theme of “Gateway to the Photonics Markets in Asia”, APE 2025 featured 344 exhibitors from 16 countries and regions, covering an exhibition area of 15,000 m2. It is expected to attract over 5,000 industry professionals.

Australia hosts UFI Asia-Pacific Conference for the first time

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Paris/Melbourne, 18th February: UFI, The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, brought its UFI Asia-Pacific Conference to Australia for the first time. Hosted at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC), the conference ran from 13th to 14th February, gathering industry leaders from more than 20 countries to Australia.

The UFI Asia-Pacific Conference was co-located with the Asia-Pacific Incentives and Meetings Event (AIME) and the Australian Business Events Association (ABEA) Leaders Forum, with a week of exceptional networking, insights, and industry collaboration. The two-day conference featured speakers and leaders from across the APAC region and beyond tackled key issues shaping the exhibition industry.

Chris Skeith OBE, Managing Director and CEO of UFI, commented, “We were thrilled to bring the UFI Asia-Pacific Conference to Australia for the first time ever. As the exhibition industry continues to evolve, the conversations we’ve had here in Melbourne – on sustainability, AI, talent, and more – will help shape the future of our sector in the region and beyond. We’re excited to see the momentum from this event drive innovation and growth across the industry.”

The next UFI Asia-Pacific Conference will take place in Bangkok, Thailand in 2026, and it will be hosted by the Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau (TCEB).

1,500+ MICE events held in Macau in 2024

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Macau, 17th February: Earlier this week, Macau’s Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) released its MICE statistics for the year 2024, reporting a total of 1,524 MICE events were held in Macau in the year, up 31% year-on-year. However, the total number of participants and attendees dropped 17%, down to 1,332,000.

Of the 1,524 MICE events held during the year, 1,423 were meetings and conferences, which grew by 32% year-on-year. The total number of participants at meetings and conferences increased by 8.2%, amounting at 185,000.

A total of 61 exhibitions were held in Macau in 2024, which is 3 exhibitions less than the previous year. The number of attendees decreased by 21%, to 1,133,000 attendees. Meanwhile, the total gross area occupied by these exhibitions grew 7.1% year-on-year, covering a total area of 464,100 m2.

DSEC also reported its MICE statistics for the fourth quarter of 2024. A total of 465 MICE events were held in Macau during the quarter, up 22% year-on-year. However, the total number of participants and attendees decreased by 15% from the fourth quarter of 2023, to 325,000.

Baidu’s FY2024 revenues down, but profits up

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Beijing, 18th February: Baidu, the leading search engine in China, has recently announced its financial results for the year ended 31st December 2024. The company reported revenues of US$18 billion, down 1% year-on-year. However, net income for the year grew 17%, reaching US$3.3 billion. Diluted earnings per share for 2024 were RMB 65.91 (US$9.03).

Revenues from Baidu’s core business reached US$14 billion in 2024, up 1% year-on-year. The majority of its revenues (US$10 billion) were generated from Baidu’s online marketing business, declining by 3% year-on-year, while the non-online revenue increased by 12%, amounted to US$4.3 billion.

Robin Li, Co-founder and CEO of Baidu, said, “2024 marked a pivotal year in our ongoing transformation from an internet-centric to an AI-first business. AI Cloud gained momentum, fuelled by broad market recognition of our full stack AI capabilities. In Mobile Ecosystem, we have been steadfast in advancing the AI transformation, making search more AI-native to deliver a better user experience. Apollo Go, after years of investment, validated its business model, paving the way for global expansion and scalable, asset-light strategies. With our strategic foresight increasingly validated, we expect our AI investments to deliver more significant results in 2025.”

For the ended 31st December, Baidu reported revenues of US$4.7 billion, down 2% year-on-year. However, net income for the quarter jumped 100%, reaching US$711 million.

BOL posts decrease in revenues and profits in FY2024

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Bangkok, 14th February: Last week, Business Online (BOL), a leading online information service provider in Thailand, reported its financial results for the year ended 31st December 2024. Revenue for the year was US$21 million, representing year-on-year decrease of 7.6%. BOL’s net profit for the year dropped 5.0%, down to US$8.1 million. Diluted earnings per share for the year were Baht 0.34 (US$0.010).

More than 94% of BOL’s revenue was generated from its service business, amounting to US$20 million, a decline of 6.4% year-on-year. The remaining revenue was generated from the dividend income (US$1.3 million) and “other income” (US$7,400).

According to BOL, due to delays in government budget approval, the company and its subsidiaries, especially in terms of revenue from project revenue, declined as the majority of customers for this type of revenue are government.

Quick takes

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HKTDC new Chairman appointment

The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) announced the appointment of Prof Frederick Ma Si-hang as the new Chairman for the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), effective 1st June 2025. His two-year term will run until 31st May 2027.

Jakarta Convention Center rebrands as Jakarta International Convention Center

The Jakarta Convention Center has been rebranded as the Jakarta International Convention Center (JICC). Gelora Bung Karno Complex Management Center (PPKGBK), the management company, plans to establish a dedicated business unit to manage JICC operations, following the rebranding. During the transition period, the venue will be managed by PPKGBK under the leadership of Sri Lestari Puji Astuti, head of marketing and sales at PPKGBK.

Koelnmesse posts strong results in FY2024

International exhibition organiser, Koelnmesse, posted solid results for the year 2024. Turnover for the year was €365 million (US$388 million), with a profit of €20 million (US$21 million). During the year, the company’s trade fairs featured some 34,500 exhibitors from 106 countries, attracting more than 2.1 million visitors. The company also made significant progress in developing its trade fair grounds, expanding its international trade fair business and improving its sustainability.

UFI: further growth expected in 2025 for exhibition industry

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Paris, 11th February: Earlier this week, UFI, the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, released its latest Global Exhibition Barometer research.

According to the survey research, the exhibition industry continued to grow revenues globally in 2024, at 16% year-on-year, while the growth rate for 2025 will be 18%. Nearly half of the companies plan to increase their workforce in the next six months, with another 51% will keep current staff numbers stable.

Chris Skeith OBE, Managing Director and CEO at UFI, commented, “UFI’s Barometer research has provided like-for-like benchmarking on key metrics for 18 years, and this new edition shows positive indicators for the year ahead across all markets, which is heartening to see. However, at the same time, it shows some uncertainty around economic environments and geopolitical challenges, demonstrating we operate in an ever-changing world.”

The latest edition of this biannual research was concluded in January 2025 and it featured data from 390 companies in 56 countries and regions. The report included detailed analysis covering 19 countries and regions: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, China, Colombia, France, Germany, Greece, India, Italy, Malaysia, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Spain, Thailand, the UAE, the UK, and the USA – as well as five additional aggregated regional zones.

ABEA and AIPC announce partnership

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Australia, 12th February: The Australian Business Events Association (ABEA) has announced the partnership with the International Association of Convention Centres (AIPC), to deliver tailor-made leadership training program for convention centres from June 2025.

The first event for the alliance in Australia will be the AIPC Academy, the flagship educational initiative. The ANZ Academy will be held in June 2025 for five days. The program will cover topics in leaderships and convention centre management, combing expert lectures and hands-on exercises to equip participants with actionable insights they can apply in their venues. It will be hosted by Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC).

Peter King, Chair of ABEA, said, “I’m thrilled we can bring this outstanding management program to the ANZ region, whilst removing a big part of the financial threshold for participation. It will be the first, but definitely not last outcome of the partnership between these two great associations.”

RELX’s exhibitions business up 31% in profit in 2024

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London, 13th February: The RELX Group, the parent company of RX Global (formerly Reed Exhibitions), has released its financial results for the year ended 31st December 2024. Revenue in RELX’s exhibitions business recorded underlying growth of 11%, amounting at £1.2 billion (US$1.6 billion). Adjusted operating profit for the year was £398 million (US$499 million), which increased 31% over the previous year.

The company attributed the growth in its exhibitions business to the improved growth profile of its event portfolio and a favourable first half comparison to the prior year. The business also made good progress on value-enhancing digital initiatives, with increased usage of digital tools for the customers of its face-to-face events.

The company expects the exhibitions business in 2025 to be with a strong underlying revenue growth and an improvement in adjusted operating margin over the year of 2024.

RELX’s group revenue in 2024 was £9.4 billion (US$12 billion), representing an underlying growth of 7%. Adjusted operating profit for the year grew 10%, reaching £3.2 billion (US$4.01 billion).

Chief Executive Officer, Erik Engstrom, was quoted, “RELX delivered strong revenue and profit growth in 2024. Our improving long-term growth trajectory continues to be driven by the ongoing shift in business mix towards higher growth analytics and decision tools that deliver enhanced value to our customers across market segments. We develop and deploy these tools across the company by leveraging deep customer understanding to combine leading content and data sets with powerful artificial intelligence and other technologies. This has been a key driver of the evolution of our business for well over a decade, and will remain a key driver of customer value and growth in our business for many years to come.”

Quick takes

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UFI celebrates 100th anniversary

UFI, The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, was founded in 1925, and the association celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2025. The theme of the celebration is “Honouring the Past, Celebrating the Present, Shaping the Future”. At the same time, UFI also introduces its UFI 100-Year Logo and celebration plans.

New Zealand International Convention Centre to open in February 2026

New Zealand International Convention Centre (NZICC) will open for conferences and events in February 2026. The venue will feature capacity for meetings, exhibitions, pre-function, banquet and performance spaces. Configurable spaces for various events with intimate meeting space, pre-function capacity for 2,700 people, convention capacity for 3,150 and one-off events for 4,000.

BCEC appoints new Communications and Marketing Manager

The managements of Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre (BECE), ASM Global, has appointed a new Communications and Marketing Manager for the venue. Karyn Sutton will lead the marketing team, for developing, driving and managing the Communication, Marketing, and Engagement Strategy for BCEC.

Tahaluf’s LEAP East expands to Hong Kong

Tahaluf, the leading B2B events organiser in Saudi Arabia, expands into Asia, with the launch of LEAP East, a new show offering insights into the future of technology. The new event will be held at Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC), running from 9th to 11th July 2026, expecting more than 300 expert speakers and 300 exhibitors.