Industry News

Article summaryThe KOPIS third-quarter material shows more productions and performances, but fewer ticket bookings and lower ticket revenue. Measured per performance, the sales decline is larger than the increase in supply. For producers and promoters, this is a signal to examine the sales evidence for additional performances and new productions more closely, rather than assuming that staging more is the answer.

Article summaryCJ Logistics and Coex officially launched the AI-based exhibition logistics service ExBox on 21 January. It aims to bring goods intake, transport, unloading, booth delivery and collection after the event into one service. Businesses need to decide which stages to outsource and which to handle themselves, then compare costs over the same scope.

Article summaryCoex and Coex Magok have issued notices recruiting service partners for their exhibition venues in 2027. Becoming eligible to register also takes time and money, so suppliers need to distinguish the cost of maintaining eligibility from the cost of carrying out work for actual customers.

Article summaryOn 14 October, Korea’s Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources announced its Exhibition Industry Roadmap 2030 and plans to develop leading regional exhibitions in stages. The structure prioritises content development in 2027–2028, followed by overseas expansion support for exhibitions that pass an interim assessment in 2029. Organisers, agencies and service businesses still need to consider staffing and costs between editions, alongside income after support ends.

Article summaryEventus has released an MCP connection for querying event data and requesting operational functions through AI, including publishing, messaging and changes to participant status. Agencies and organisers need to assess more than generation speed. Service costs must also include review, data preparation and error correction.

Article summaryThe MICE special industrial classification took effect on 31 December 2025. The Korea Tourism Organization’s Meeting Industry Survey has since passed the review for nationally approved statistics. The two sources cover different scopes: one examines meeting demand through the facilities that host meetings, while the other classifies activities in the event supply chain. Suppliers need to understand the distinction and decide what evidence to keep to explain their own activities.

Article summaryUK venue organisation Music Venue Trust (MVT) and technology company Audoo ran a two-month pilot at small music venues. A system listened to the performance audio and compared it with known songs, but MVT reported that 21% of the recorded live audio time matched known songs. What, then, was the remaining 79%? And why does this figure matter to the live music industry?

Article summaryCvent changed access to proposal email links in a supplier notice on 3 November. Planners can view a proposal only after signing in to Cvent, and NSO contacts must also sign in before opening a link. For suppliers, managing who can open the material has become another task after sending a proposal.

Article summaryFreeman launched Signature Turnkey Solutions on September 21 with repeat delivery in mind. Its supply model offers three options, from predesigned modules to fully custom builds. The structure raises a question: who should pay for design, inventory and revisions, and how?

Article summaryUFI released its European exhibition statistics on 22 October. The report brings together 2025 records for 1,758 exhibitions in 13 countries. It is tempting to look at these figures and think, "A European exhibition market this large must offer a way to make money." It is not that simple.

Article summaryFreeman released The Pre-Event Edition on 13 October. Organisers often interpret late registrations as a sign that customers are hesitating. The report suggests that this timing is better understood as late decision-making. Before deciding to attend, customers look for evidence, and how early organisers provide that evidence can shape when they register.

Article summaryPCMA Convene’s 2026 Salary Survey, published on 8 October, shows that event professionals are concerned with more than pay. Respondents were also assessing additional responsibilities, work allocation, career paths, leadership and flexibility. Compensation adjustments, work reallocation and development support require different cost and staffing decisions.