Global business events are gaining momentum as regions report strong attendance, new partnerships and sustainability initiatives. From Australia’s venue investments and Canada’s surge in engineering congresses to India’s expanding trade fair sector and the Middle East’s rise in urban innovation and incentive travel, global markets are entering a high-growth cycle. Here are the top developments shaping the international meetings and exhibitions industry this season.
ASIA-PACIFIC
Australia
Cairns Convention Centre Wins Gold for Business Events Venue
Cairns Convention Centre received the Gold award for Business Events Venue at the fortieth Queensland Tourism Awards, held 14 November at Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre. The recognition follows the centre’s $176 million expansion completed in 2023. The project added flexible spaces overlooking Trinity Inlet and increased capacity for concurrent events. As a result, the award reflects the centre’s growing contribution to Far North Queensland’s visitor economy.
ICC Sydney Theatre Renamed TikTok Entertainment Centre Under New Multi-Year Deal
ICC Sydney Theatre is now the TikTok Entertainment Centre, marking TikTok’s first naming-rights partnership for a venue worldwide. Meanwhile, Legends Global negotiated the agreement to strengthen Sydney’s entertainment economy and deepen creator engagement. The venue hosts about one hundred twenty events each year and drew five hundred thousand attendees last year. In addition, the TikTok Awards on 26 November will be the first event under the new name.
CANADA
Ottawa Builds Momentum in IEEE and Engineering Congress Wins
Ottawa is expanding its pipeline of conferences from the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and other engineering groups. The city leverages its role as Canada’s capital and a major hub for technology industries. For example, a highlight this year was the IEEE International Symposium on Antennas and Propagation and the North American Radio Science Meeting, which drew more than one thousand five hundred delegates. Looking ahead, the International District Energy Association Annual Conference and Tradeshow will convene in 2026. As a result, Ottawa continues to attract high-level technical events in semiconductors, radiation effects and engineering leadership.
INDIA
Zak Doors & Windows Expo 2025 to Highlight Façade and Fenestration Technologies
The twenty-first Zak Doors & Windows Expo will take place 4–7 December 2025 at Mumbai’s Bombay Exhibition Centre. More than two hundred fifty exhibitors will showcase innovations in façades, fenestration, machinery, hardware, cladding and automation systems. In addition, the event is co-located with Zak Glass Technology Expo and Zak Aluminium Extrusions Expo, forming India’s largest platform for building envelope solutions.
MIDDLE EAST
Smart City Expo Doha to Gather Regional Urban Innovation Leaders in November
Smart City Expo Doha will run 25–26 November with more than thirty global experts exploring how technology and AI shape urban development across the region. Fira de Barcelona and Qatar’s Ministry of Communications and Information Technology organize the programme. The event will cover digital innovation, connectivity, government planning and emerging talent. Furthermore, it will also take place within MWC25 Doha, the region’s inaugural Mobile World Congress.
Registration Opens for SITE Global Conference 2026 in Abu Dhabi
The Society for Incentive Travel Excellence (SITE) has opened registration for its 2026 Global Conference, set for 12–15 February at The Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi, Grand Canal. The annual gathering brings together more than seven hundred fifty incentive travel professionals for leadership insights on performance strategy, technology, sustainability and risk. Additionally, Abu Dhabi Convention and Exhibition Bureau is supporting the event. SITE has also confirmed future editions in Canada in 2027 and Australia in 2028.
GLOBAL
ICOM Names Barbados Museum Project Winner of Inaugural Sustainability Award
The International Council of Museums (ICOM) has granted its first Sustainability Award to the “Shared Island Stories Between Scotland and the Caribbean: Transnational Youth Exchange” project by the Barbados Museum and Historical Society. The winner was selected from one hundred thirty submissions from sixty countries. The initiative addresses climate impact, at-risk youth, coastal erosion and heritage preservation. In addition, finalists from Belgium, Namibia, Australia and Bosnia and Herzegovina also received recognition.
UFI Reviews Centenary-Year Progress and Concludes 92nd Global Congress in Hong Kong
The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry (UFI) met in Hong Kong before the ninety-second UFI Global Congress to review progress from a landmark year. Highlights included expanded advocacy, sustainability projects and talent development. Key milestones included the launch of ISO Technical Committee 354 for events and continued work on Net Zero Carbon Events. In addition, UFI previewed its 2026 gatherings in Vienna, Bangkok, İzmir and Bahrain and outlined leadership transitions within its Presidential Trio.
The ninety-second Global Congress then concluded with more than six hundred delegates from forty-seven countries. The event marked UFI’s centenary year and AsiaWorld-Expo’s twentieth anniversary. Programming covered AI adoption, sustainable venue operations, experiential design and year-round community engagement. Finally, UFI confirmed Panittha Buri as its 2025–26 president and announced future host cities in Bahrain in 2026 and Guadalajara in 2027.
IAPCO and Business Events Australia Launch Partnership to Advance Event Sustainability
The International Association of Professional Congress Organisers (IAPCO) and Business Events Australia have launched a strategic partnership to accelerate sustainability practices worldwide. Announced at IBTM World, the collaboration introduces a new IAPCO Sustainability Award and a digital Sustainability Toolkit set for release in March 2026. The initiative responds to member feedback citing cost and limited subsidies as key barriers to sustainable adoption. As a result, the partnership aims to advance sustainability training across the industry.
Photo caption: The newly renamed TikTok Entertainment Centre in Sydney showcases its updated exterior branding as part of TikTok’s first venue naming-rights partnership.
Related stories
Global Meetings & Events Roundup: October’s Biggest Venue Wins and Industry Milestones
