(A SITE delegate experiences traditional cheese-making in the Engadin Valley near St. Moritz; part of the destination-immersive activities offered during Incentive Summit Europe 2025.)
Major venues across Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Latin America report key bookings, new amenities, and expanded roles in science, culture, and sustainability
This month’s roundup covers new venue investments in the UK, culinary and F&B trade events in Singapore, incentive travel in Switzerland, and major medical congresses in Australia and Spain.
Asia-Pacific
Cairns Convention Centre Builds Momentum with Major Conference Bookings
Cairns Convention Centre continues to attract high-profile international events, with two major conferences set for 2025 and 2026. From August 3–8, 2025, the venue will host the 20th International Bat Research Conference, bringing together more than 400 global experts for sessions on biodiversity, wind energy, genomics, and conservation. Delegates will also explore local habitats through field trips to sites like the Tolga Bat Hospital and Rainforestation Nature Park.
Looking ahead to June 11–14, 2026, Helloworld Travel will hold its Owner Manager Conference (OMC) at the venue. The event will bring together travel professionals from across Australia and New Zealand. Helloworld CEO Andrew Burnes AO, who once launched his travel career in Cairns, called the return “a full-circle moment” and praised the region’s enduring appeal. Both events underscore Cairns’ position as a hub for knowledge exchange and tourism-driven business events.
ICC Sydney Celebrates Global Exhibitions Day with Expansive 2025 Event Lineup
International Convention Centre Sydney (ICC Sydney), managed by ASM Global, is set to welcome more than 618,000 attendees across 63 exhibitions in 2025, underscoring its role as a hub for creativity, commerce, and community engagement. Highlights include the return of the Good Food & Wine Show, EDUtech, Hair Festival, and the co-located Integrate and Security Exhibition & Conference. The venue continues to embrace entertainment-forward, tech-driven, and culturally relevant exhibitions, solidifying its reputation as a top-tier destination for dynamic live events in the Asia-Pacific region.
SIGEP Asia 2025 Showcases Southeast Asia’s Foodservice Innovation in Singapore
SIGEP Asia 2025 brought more than 12,000 food and beverage professionals to Sands Expo & Convention Centre for a dynamic, multisensory trade event. Co-located with Restaurant Asia and specialty segments, the show featured over 350 exhibitors, live culinary demos, immersive chocolate installations, and competitions including the Singapore National Coffee Championship and Panettone World Cup Asian selections. New zones spotlighted nightlife, foodtech, and international pavilions, cementing SIGEP Asia’s role as a premier hub for regional culinary innovation.
Europe
The Eastside Rooms Makes Wellness Room a Permanent Feature, Advancing Neuroinclusive Design
After positive feedback during the 2025 Association of British Professional Conference Organisers (ABPCO) Festival of Learning (ABPCO), The Eastside Rooms in Birmingham has announced its wellness room—originally a temporary initiative—will now be a permanent offering. The calm, tech-free space is designed with neurodivergent delegates in mind and reflects the venue’s broader commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Features include bean bags, noise-cancelling headphones, and creative activities. The venue has also launched travel route videos to help ease delegate navigation and continues to support inclusive hiring through education and employment partnerships.
Barbican Conservatory Offers Unique Setting for 2025 Holiday Parties
The Barbican Centre in London, in partnership with Searcys, has launched new holiday party packages set in its lush tropical Conservatory. Featuring over 1,500 plant species, the venue blends exotic scenery with festive experiences, offering two tailored packages for groups of 100 or more. Guests can enjoy cocktails, food stations, formal dining, and a DJ in the adjacent Garden Room. With bespoke upgrades and a focus on flawless execution, the Barbican positions itself as a distinctive destination for seasonal corporate and association events.
Portugal’s Europalco to Showcase Services at The Meetings Show 2025
Europalco, Southern Europe’s largest event solutions provider, will exhibit at The Meetings Show 2025 in London on June 25–26. Appearing at Stand B21 within the Visit Portugal Pavilion, the Lisbon-based company will spotlight its end-to-end services for international clients staging events in Portugal and Spain. Known for custom set design, audiovisual production, and onsite support, Europalco offers fully integrated solutions for events of all sizes. The company’s team will focus on personalized consultations and highlight how its approach supports sustainability, accessibility, and attendee well-being.
UK Venues Highlight Investment and Flexibility at The Meetings Show 2025
Several prominent United Kingdom venues unveiled major updates and upcoming capabilities at The Meetings Show 2025 in London. Highlights included Valliant Live in Derby, a new £45 million venue featuring a 2,100-seat auditorium and flexible event space, and Olympia London, which previewed its 2026 opening with virtual tours of its new conference center—part of a £1.3 billion regeneration project. Utilita Arena Sheffield, Sheffield City Hall, and Southport Marine Lake Events Centre were also showcased for their growing event offerings. Operated by Legends ASM Global, these venues emphasize regional accessibility, scalable infrastructure, and service tailored to planners’ evolving needs across the UK and Europe.
SITE Hosts Incentive Summit Europe in St. Moritz, Spotlighting Sustainability and Scenic Discovery
The Society for Incentive Travel Excellence (SITE) wrapped its 2025 Incentive Summit Europe in St. Moritz, Switzerland, after bringing together global incentive travel professionals for three days of education, networking, and destination immersion. Held June 29 to July 2, the invitation-only event emphasized low-impact travel, offering rail transfers and public transport passes to delegates. Highlights included guided hikes, e-bike tours, and site visits to top venues—underscoring St. Moritz’s sustainability credentials and incentive appeal.
Barcelona Venue Hosts Global Gastrointestinal Oncology Congress
The Centre de Convencions Internacional de Barcelona (CCIB) hosted the ESMO Gastrointestinal Cancers Congress from July 2–5, welcoming over 3,500 experts from more than 80 countries. This year’s edition emphasizes early diagnosis, targeted therapies, and quality of life improvements in digestive oncology. Organized by the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO), the congress marks the start of a packed season of international medical events at CCIB, reinforcing its role as a global hub for science-driven gatherings.
Latin America
Smart City Expo Latam Congress Marks 10th Anniversary in Puebla with Focus on Equity and Innovation
Held June 10–12 in Puebla, Mexico, the tenth edition of Smart City Expo Latam Congress gathered more than 300 cities, 100 mayors, and 300 speakers under the theme “Creating opportunities, reducing gaps.” The event—organized by Fira de Barcelona with local and regional partners—featured a robust program exploring digital innovation, mobility, sustainability, equity, and economic resilience. Nobel Peace Prize laureate and former Colombian president Juan Manuel Santos delivered a keynote alongside leaders from Chile’s Energy Sustainability Agency, Red SIMUS, ICLEI, and Startup Mexico.
Guadalajara Recognized for Sustainability Leadership at ICCA Global Forum
Guadalajara will be presented as a sustainability success story at the upcoming International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) Global Forum in Granada, Spain. As the only Latin American city in the Best Cities Global Alliance, Guadalajara has pioneered green practices in the trade show sector through partnerships with major events like Intermoda, Expo Pack, ANTAD, and Expo Transporte. Spearheaded by the Guadalajara Convention and Visitors Bureau (OFVC), the initiative includes reducing environmental impact, promoting inclusive legacy planning, and aligning the city’s exhibitions with international sustainability frameworks like Meet4Impact and the Global Destination Sustainability Movement. The program builds on efforts launched during the pandemic and reflects a shift toward regenerative, socially responsible business events across Latin America.
