Snöcap March 28, 2025
Snöball correspondent
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Happy Friday and welcome to another edition of Snöcap!
This is a weekly event industry news recap where we cover the peaks in the world of exhibitions and associations. Scroll down for more details 👇
Here are the top stories of this week:
- US B2B exhibitions continue growth despite challenges: CEIR
- Freeman, ASP and XL8 unveil next-gen trade solutions
- IEG reports 17.7% jump in 2024 revenue to €250 million
- UFI opens registrations for 92nd Global Congress
- New series by Nicola Kastner examines key risks facing events amidst geopolitical complexities
- PCMA forms two-year alliance with BEIA to boost AIPAC business events impact
- Informa Markets launches WHX Thrive to complement WHX global network
- Who is hiring?
US B2B exhibitions continue growth despite challenges: CEIR
The U.S. business-to-business exhibition industry continues its recovery trajectory, with fourth-quarter 2024 performance approaching pre-pandemic levels despite economic uncertainties, according to new data from the Center for Exhibition Industry Research.
The Q4 CEIR Total Index reached 95.6, just 4.4% below the same period in 2019, marking a significant improvement from both the 10.9% shortfall in Q4 2023 and the Q3 2024 index value of 89.3.
Key findings:
- Exhibitor participation nearly matched pre-pandemic levels
- 34.1% of events have now surpassed their pre-pandemic performance
- Cancellation rate for in-person events remained at 0.3%
"Recent results confirm the continued recovery in trade show activity," said Adam Sacks, president of Tourism Economics.
The industry faces potential headwinds in 2025 due to trade policy uncertainty, with new tariffs potentially dampening business investment and increasing inflation.
"The exhibition industry continues to prove its essential value as a platform for business connections," noted IAEE President and CEO Marsha Flanagan.
Read the full CEIR Q4 2024 Index results
Freeman, ASP and XL8 unveil next-gen trade show solutions
Three technology providers have unveiled new solutions aimed at enhancing trade show experiences for organizers and attendees.
Freeman launched Key Takeaways, a web-based tool that uses generative AI to transcribe presentations in real time and deliver summaries of key insights.
"Key Takeaways represents our commitment to helping event organizers deliver content experiences that truly resonate with their audiences," said Paul Fletcher, COO of audio visual and event technology at Freeman.
ASP introduced Composer II, an updated event website creation platform that allows organizers to build sites from scratch or use pre-set templates.
"We set ourselves the goal of creating a cost-effective event website builder," said Jon Benjamin, CEO of ASP.
More than 30 event organizers are already using the platform, including Clarion Events and Bauer Media Group.
XL8 released an updated version of EventCAT, providing real-time translations, subtitles and transcripts for conferences in 42 languages, with solutions for both virtual and in-person events.
IEG reports 17.7% jump in 2024 revenue to €250 million
Italian Exhibition Group S.p.A. (IEG) reported a 17.7% increase in annual revenue to €250 million in 2024, driven by organic growth and successful biennial events.
The exhibition company posted significant financial improvements:
- Adjusted EBITDA up 33.1% to €65.9 million
- Net profit surged 146.1% to €32.5 million
- Net financial position improved to €13.5 million
- Board proposed €0.20 per share dividend
Organized events generated 61.8% of revenue, reaching €154.6 million. Key contributors included biennial shows Tecna and Fesqua, alongside strong performance from core events like KEY, Vicenzaoro and Sigep.
"The strength of our business model is confirmed by the exceptional results we recorded in 2024," said CEO Corrado Arturo Peraboni. "We aim to further consolidate our growth by benefitting from two-yearly events."
UFI opens registrations for 92nd Global Congress
UFI has opened registration for its 92nd Global Congress scheduled for Nov. 19-22, 2025, at AsiaWorld-Expo in Hong Kong SAR.
The event brings together exhibition industry leaders worldwide and culminates UFI's 100th-anniversary celebrations.
"Hosting the 92nd UFI Global Congress at AsiaWorld-Expo marks a significant milestone for us, especially as we celebrate UFI's 100th anniversary," said Irene Chan, CEO of AsiaWorld-Expo.
The congress will feature a new Greater Bay Area program with visits to Macau, Zhuhai and Shenzhen.
"The UFI Global Congress is where industry leaders discuss the future, build connections, and gain insights from peers across the globe," said Chris Skeith OBE, CEO and Managing Director of UFI.
UFI invites its 50,000+ member professionals and partner associations SISO, ICCA and AIPC to attend.
New series by Nicola Kastner examines key risks facing events amidst geopolitical complexities
Nicola Kastner, CEO of Events Leader Exchange, has launched a new article series addressing critical challenges for event professionals navigating an increasingly complex operating environment.
The series follows Nicola's viral "I'm Concerned" post, which prompted industry-wide discussion about emerging risks. You can see the post here
The first two articles in the series focus on DEI challenges and attendance implications, addressing how new policies and changing border enforcement affect event planning.
"This is not a political statement. It is a realistic look at what's unfolding and what planners can do to prepare," writes Kastner in her attendance-focused article, which examines how visa delays and shifting public sentiment impact revenue forecasts, speaker lineups and international engagement.
The series aims to move industry conversation "from concern to action" as event professionals adapt to rapidly changing conditions.
You can read the first article here and the second one here
Follow Nicola on her LinkedIn profile to receive more articles in the series.
PCMA forms two-year alliance with BEIA to boost AIPAC business events impact
The Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) and Business Events Industry Aotearoa (BEIA) have signed a two-year strategic alliance to strengthen collaboration and drive economic progress through business events across the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region.
The partnership includes cross-promotion of educational events and collaborative research on business events throughout APAC.
"This important alliance provides a platform for collective growth – to deliver the knowledge, resources, and networks essential for collaboration in the region," said Florence Chua, PCMA managing director for APAC.
BEIA members will gain access to PCMA's educational content and resources.
"PCMA is the leading global association for the business events sector with strong interest in the APAC market," said Lisa Hopkins, BEIA chief executive.
PCMA will participate in MEETINGS, New Zealand's largest business events trade show, in 2025.
Informa Markets launches WHX Thrive to complement WHX global network
Informa Markets has announced the launch of WHX Thrive, a new addition to the World Health Expo global network focusing on fitness, longevity and wellness in Africa.
The event will feature 3,000 square meters of exhibition space with more than 200 participating companies and 100 speakers from around the world.
WHX Thrive will include expert-led workshops, interactive fitness sessions and wellness practices aimed at industry professionals and consumers seeking health resources.
The inaugural WHX Thrive is scheduled for Sept. 2-4 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre Exhibition Centre in South Africa.
The new exhibition expands Informa Markets' World Health Expo portfolio into the African wellness market.
Who is hiring?
This section highlights the latest job positions in the events and associations industry. Here are some new roles that have opened up:
Informa Markets
Marketing Executive
Prezent AI
Sr Community and Events Manager
Hour Media
Marketing & Events Coordinator
NürnbergMesse Group
Event Manager
Snöcap is your Friday weekly event news roundup. Follow us on LinkedIn to get regular news and job updates https://www.linkedin.com/company/snoball-events/
