Asia Business Media: August 2014

Friday, August 29, 2014

Informa and Hamburg Messe partner to launch maritime show in India

News this week: Informa Exhibitions and Hamburg Messe und Congress have announced the launch of a new maritime trade show, INMEX SMM India which will serve the South Asian maritime market. The inaugural edition of the event will take place from 23^rd to 25^th September 2015 at the Bombay Exhibition Centre.

The inaugural edition of INMEX SMM India will feature a conference programme, an international B2B Buyers Programme and a dedicated Product Demonstration Area. INMEX SMM India is the result of combining Informa’s INMEX India, which attracted over 500 exhibitors from 40 countries and 6,000 visitors in its 2013 edition, and Hamburg Messe’s Mumbai-based trade show – SMM India.

Bernd Aufderheide, CEO and president of Hamburg Messe und Congress, said, “We are excited about the prospect of further developing SMM India by working together with INMEX India and jointly offering an unmatched maritime event on the subcontinent. Exhibitors and visitors alike will profit from our collaboration.” While Informa’s COO Nicky Mason added, “We are delighted to now bring INMEX-SMM together as one event to offer a wider audience and maximize returns for our clients.”

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Messe Frankfurt’s Shanghai textiles show spans 150,000+ sqm

News this week: Messe Frankfurt’s autumn edition of Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles has expanded to cover more than 150,000 m² of gross exhibition space. Celebrating its 20^th edition this year, the show occupied 13 halls at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre (SNIEC) and runs from 27^th to 29^th August 2014.

Messe Frankfurt expects attendance from trade visitors to reach 40,000 over the three-day show. Some 1,350 exhibitors from 31 countries and regions will showcase their products and services, along with group pavilions from Belgium, Italy, Turkey, India, Korea, Pakistan, Taiwan, as well as first-time participation from Morocco.

The previous edition of Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles autumn edition attracted more than 39,000 buyers and 1,300 exhibitors, which was a new show record. The three-day show is jointly organised with the Sub-Council of Textile Industry, CCPIT and the China Home Textile Association (CHTA).

Made-in-China.com grows moderately in first half

News this week: The Shenzhen-listed Focus Technology, the operator of Made-in-China.com, has announced its financial results for the six months ended 30^th June 2014. Revenues in the period were US$42 million, up 5.4% compared with the same period last year. Profit in the same six-month period grew by 6.7%, reaching US$12 million. The diluted earnings per share in the first half were RMB 0.61 (US$0.098).

Focus Technology’s largest revenue segment was membership fees - amounting to US$19 million. Its second largest business segment was value-added services, generating US$7.7 million or 18% of the group’s total revenues. Its “Audited Supplier Services” accounted for 16% of total revenues which generated US$6.8 million.

As of 30^th June, Made-in-China.com had a total 13,446 registered paid members, of those 12,908 were registered on its English-language site, while just 538 were registered on its largely dormant Chinese-language site.

SEEC Media records loss in first half

News this week: Last week, Hong Kong-listed SEEC Media reported its financial results for the first half of 2014. Revenues in the period were US$24 million, a year-on-year 12% decrease. The company recorded a loss of US$3.4 million in the six-month period, compared with a profit of US$75,000 in the first half in 2013.

SEEC attributed the decrease in revenue as well as net loss to the diversion of advertising spending to the internet and mobile media sectors and away from print media options.

The majority of SEEC’s revenues were generated from by its ad services, amounting to US$23 million, which represents a drop of 9.1% compared with the previous year. The remaining revenues came from book and magazine sales which declined 45% year-on-year.

Alibaba posts strong results ahead of IPO

News this week: China’s leading e-commerce company, Alibaba Group, recorded strong financial results for the quarter ended 30^th June 2014. Revenues jumped 46% year-on-year to US$2.54 billion and the group’s net income in the quarter nearly tripled, reaching US$1.99 billion.

The strong result was, in part, due to gains within the company’s mobile business. Alibaba accounts for about 80% of China’s online retail sales and the group generated gross merchandise volume of US$296 billion in the previous 12 months ending 30^th June. As of the end of June, Alibaba had 279 million active buyers, a year-on-year 50% increase.

According to media reports, Alibaba’s IPO roadshow will kick-off next month as the company pitches its shares to institutional buyers. It is expected Alibaba will reach a valuation of as high as US$200 billion when the company eventually is listed.

Fiera Roma signs MoU with Chengdu Exposition Bureau

News this week: Government-backed venue operator and trade show organiser, Fiera Roma, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) agreement with the Chengdu Exposition Bureau to internationalise their respective trade shows.

Representing the Lazio region in Italy, Fiera Roma is looking to expand its presence in China. The organiser recently partnered to jointly organise its first international event abroad – the Beijing (Yanqing) International Wine Exposition. The event was held from 29^th to 31^st July 2014 at the Badaling International Exhibition Center in Beijing.

The latest MoU signing follows a series of similar partnerships international organisers have entered into. Earlier in 2014, the Chengdu Bureau entered into partnership agreements with Reed Exhibitions and UBM.

Friday, August 22, 2014

TCEB targets Philippines’ MICE travellers

News this week: The Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) recently organised a roadshow to the Philippines’ capital to promote bilateral MICE collaboration and trade between the two countries. The bureau launched an exclusive incentive programme, ‘CONNECT Businesses Big Bonus’, to target trade visitors from the Philippines.

Under the incentive programme, trade organisers bringing a group of five or more visitors to trade shows in Thailand are entitled to earn US$100 per visitor if they manage to secure a business matching meeting. Those eligible to enrol include trade promoters, chambers of commerce, trade associations, overseas trade publications, overseas non-profit organisations and MICE travel agents.

TCEB’s president, Mr Nopparat Maythaveekulchai, said, “Following the official bilateral collaboration between TCEB and the PCCI and CCPI last year, Thailand had welcome a total of 25,555 Philippines MICE visitors, generating US$74.36 million revenue into Thai economy, positioning as the ninth highest contributors to the bustling of Thai MICE sector. In term of the exhibition industry, the number of trade visitors from the Philippines also increased 54% since the MOU signing,”

MyCEB aims to generate 8% of business visitors by 2020

News this wek: The Malaysian Convention and Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB) is targeting to attract more MICE events and visitors to the country and aims to generate 8% of Malaysia’s business tourists by 2020 – up from the 5% or 80,000 visitors recorded by the bureau in the past year.

MyCEB was established in 2010 by the Malaysian Ministry of Tourism. The bureau is tasked with assisting local and international meetings and event planners to bid for, secure and stage their events in Malaysia. According to MyCEB, the bureau has secured 92 bids for MICE events from January to June this year. MyCEB estimates the average spend of business visitors is around US$2,214 compared with US$632 from leisure tourists.

Ms Ho Yoke Ping, MyCEB’s general manager of Business Events, commented, “Right now, we want to focus more on bringing international and regional companies to Malaysia, to increase the spending by business visitors, and at the same time improve job opportunities for locals. Last year, we secured about 135 business activities worth around US$253 million and in 2014, we were hoping to achieve about 150.”

Global Sources to launch new communications system

News this week: NASDAQ-listed Global Sources announced plans to launch a new Request For Information (RFI) management system in September. The platform aims to create a smooth, efficient communication process between buyers and suppliers.

According to Global Sources, its RFI system differs from existing online messaging systems in that it allows users to communicate seamlessly from their own email accounts or through Global Sources’ own online forms. The system will then capture and analyse incoming and outgoing communication to help users track the status of RFIs and follow up on specific sourcing requests. Users will be able to access the system through any device in order to check on the status of RFIs.

Spencer Au, CEO of Global Sources, remarked, “This represents a breakthrough in online sourcing communications between buyers and suppliers. In today’s international trade marketplace, there is an overwhelming glut of often questionable information online. The problem is how to filter and qualify the most reliable trade partner to work on a specific sourcing project. We have invested in this state-of-the-art system to improve the RFI communication process and further improve our reputation as the best platform for getting real business done.”

CyberMedia’s financials continue to decline

News this week: Indian specialty publisher, CyberMedia, has announced results for the quarter ended 30^th June 2014. Revenues in the quarter were US$2.1 million, a year-on-year decrease of 20%. In the same period, the company recorded a net loss of US$90,000, compared with a net profit of US$129,000 in the same quarter last year. Dilute earnings per share in the period were US$0.027.

CyberMedia’s media services business (comprising IT & telecom research and a content marketing agency) generated US$1.4 million or 64% of total revenues in the quarter – a decrease of 5.6% compared with the same period in 2013. The remaining revenues were generated by Cybermedia’s media business segment (i.e. its publishing business), amounting to US$766,000 – down 37% compared with the previous year.

TTG records loss in the first half

News this week: Last week, Hong Kong-listed Sino Splendid (formerly China.com) announced its results for the six months ended 30^th June 2014. TTG Media, an Asian travel trade publishing group owned by Sino Splendid, generated revenues of US$4.0 million, down 35% year-on-year. The company attributed the decrease to strong competition in the travel media industry and a revenue shortfall from the event management contract related to the ATF 2014 (ASEAN Tourism Forum).

The company recorded a net loss of US$856,000 from its continuing operations, compared with a profit of US$1.7 million in the first half of 2013. The company has discontinued its Internet portal business, which did not generate any revenues in the reporting period.

For the quarter ended 30^th June, revenues from the continuing operations were US$2.5 million, down 18% vs. the same quarter last year. The loss from continuing operations in the period was US$886,000, compared with a profit of US$1.1 million recorded last year.

CCID’s first half revenues down, but profits up

News this week: Earlier this month, Hong Kong-listed CCID Consulting reported its interim results for the six months ended 30^th June 2014. Revenues were US$9.5 million – an 11% decrease year-on-year. However, the company recorded a net profit of US$573,000, up 17% compared with the same period in 2013. Earnings per share in the six-month period were RMB 0.0051.

More than 60% of CCID’s revenues were generated from its management & strategy consultancy services amounting to US$5.8 million. This is a 14% decrease compared with the first half of 2013. The company’s second largest business segment, information engineering supervision services generated US$2.6 million which accounted for 27% of CCID’s total revenues – that is a year-on-year decrease of 4.6%. The remaining revenues were generated from its market research services, which slid 6.6% versus the same period in 2013.

CCID also released its results for the quarter ended 30^th June. Revenues in the quarter were US$5.0 million, down 19% over the same quarter in 2013. Net profit increased 28% compared with last year rising to US$462,000.

Dalian Northern International in OTC listing

News this week: Last week, Dalian Northern International Exhibition Co., Limited (DFB Expo) began trading on the National Equities Exchange and Quotations (NEEQC), an “over-the-counter” board based in Beijing. DFB’s ticker is 831023.

The NEEQC acts as an alternative “third board” to the Shenzhen and Shanghai Stocks Exchanges. The NEEQC offers over-the-counter (OTC) trading - an alternative means for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to gain financial backing. The minimum threshold for listing on the OTC is lower than those required on China’s two main stock exchanges.

Headquartered in Dalian, DFB Expo was established in February 2009 and operates mainly as an exhibition and conference organiser. DFB Expo reportedly has total assets of US$24 million. DFB Expo operates branches and offices in Vancouver, Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Shenyang, Harbin, Chengdu and Jinan.

Friday, August 15, 2014

Intertextile Pavilion Shenzhen 2014 grows by 33%

News this week: Close to 700 exhibitors from eight countries and regions joined Messe Frankfurt’s Intertextile Pavilion at the Shenzhen International Trade Fair for Apparel Fabrics and Accessories. The show was held from 10^th to 12^th July at the Shenzhen Convention and Exhibition Center (SZCEC), and covered 30,000 m² of exhibition space – up 33% from 2013.

According to Messe Frankfurt, the show set a new record for buyer attendance attracting more than 17,500 from 27 countries and regions – an increase of 34% compared with 2013. The number of exhibitors was also up 13% vs. last year’s edition. Group pavilions at the 2014 show included those from Taiwan, Korea and India.

Wendy Wen, senior general manager of Messe Frankfurt (HK), commented, “The general consensus of our exhibitors was that there is a lot of potential in the south of China, and that this fair is the best platform to tap into that. The rise in both exhibitor and buyer numbers confirms that there is a need for a fair of this type in the region, and we feel it complements our existing apparel fabrics and accessories fairs in Shanghai well.”

Global Sources opens China Sourcing Fair in Brazil

News this week: NASDAQ-listed B2B media group, Global Sources, opened its China Sourcing Fairs in Brazil on 11^th August at the Imigrantes Exhibition Center in Sao Paulo. The event ran until 13^th August.

This edition of the China Sourcing Fairs featured products from a variety of categories including: electronics, gifts & premiums, hardware & building materials, and garments & textiles. According to Global Sources, trade between China and Brazil in 2013 was US$83.3 billion, making China Brazil’s largest trading partner.

Tommy Wong, president of Global Sources Exhibitions, said, “This is the third year for our show in Sao Paulo, we have been able to understand greatly the types of products that are appropriate for the Brazilian and South American markets. Our suppliers, nearly 60% of whom are seeking local representation in Brazil, are exhibiting new products that the market demands.”

3,000+ exhibitors at UBM’s health food shows in Shanghai

News this week: UBM Sinoexpo, a joint venture subsidiary of UBM in China, recently concluded six co-located shows occupying all 17 halls at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre (SNIEC). The shows included Healthplex & Nutraceutical China (HNC) and Fi Asia-China, a food ingredients show. UBM Asia reported a total of more than 3,000 exhibitors participated in the shows which were held from 26^th to 28^th June 2014.

According to UBM, the co-located shows drew more than 63,300 visitors from 131 countries and regions, up 10% compared with 2013. The food-themed shows together featured more than 900 exhibitors.

Health food and nutritionals event, Healthplex & Nutraceutical China (HNC), attracted more than 100 international exhibitors originating from the U.S., U.K., Netherlands, Australia, Japan, Korea, and Brazil showcased their products. Other co-located fairs included Food Ingredients Asia-China (Fi Asia-China, Hi & Ni), food machinery and packaging show Expo FoodTec, pharmaceutical ingredient show CPhI China, and the newly acquired Starch Exhibition.

BOL revenue down, profit up in Q2

News this week: Last week, Bangkok-based business information provider, Business Online (BOL), reported its financial results for the quarter ended 30^th June 2014. Revenues for the quarter were US$2.9 million, a decrease of 11% compared with the same period last year. However, net profit for the period grew by 13% to US$637,000. More than 55% of revenues were generated from its flagship online information services – amounting to US$1.6 million.

BOL also released its results for the six months ended 30^th June. Revenues in the first half of 2014 were US$6.3 million, a 6.2% increase over the previous year. More than half of the company’s revenues, US$3.3 million, were generated from its flagship online information services. The remaining revenues were generated from its “other services” and “other income” segments. The company did not supply additional details related to its revenue categories.

The company posted a net income of US$1.2 million in the first half, which rose 16% compared with 2013. BOL’s management reported that diluted earnings per share for the six-month period were Baht 0.05 (US$0.0015).

HC International’s profit jumps 96% in first half

News this week: Earlier this week, Hong Kong-listed HC International released its results for the first half of 2014. Revenues for the six months ended 30^th June were US$75 million, up 30% over the first half of last year. HC posted a profit attributable to equity holders of US$17 million in the period, jumped 96% from 2013. Dilute earnings per share in the period were RMB 0.1474 (US$0.024).

About 88% of HC’s revenues were generated from its online services, amounting to US$66 million. That represents 31% growth compared with the first half of 2013. The remaining revenues were from HC’s seminars & other services (US$6.4 million), and trade catalogues & yellow page directories business (US$2.6 million). Revenues from seminars & other services increased 49%, while the trade catalogues & yellow page directories business was down 14%.

HC also announced its results for the quarter ended 30^th June. Revenues in the quarter were US$39 million, a year-on-year increase of 23%. The company recorded a profit attributable to equity holders of the company of US$9.7 million in the quarter - up 88% compared with 2013.

Global Sources’ revenues and profit down in Q2

News this week: Yesterday, NASDAQ-listed Global Sources released its financial results for the quarter ended 30^th June 2014. Revenues in the quarter were US$58.3 million, a year-on-year decrease of 5%. Net profit attributable to shareholders was US$7 million in the period, a drop of 58% from 2013.

Global Sources’ revenues from exhibitions were US$32.4 million down 2.7% compared with last year, and accounted for 56% of total revenues. Online business accounted for 36% of total revenues, which amounted to US$20.8 million. Online revenues were down 8% vs. last year. Revenues from print services were down 14% to US$3.0 million and accounted for 5% of total revenues.

Merle A. Hinrich, Global Sources’ executive chairman, commented, “In the second quarter, our export trade shows in Hong Kong performed very well and featured our largest-ever electronics series, including the inaugural Mobile Electronics show. We are encouraged by the strength of our exhibition business as we continue to specialise and address the markets we believe offer the greatest opportunity for growth.”

Global Sources also reported its half-year results for the six months ended 30^th June. Revenues in the period were US$93 million, flat compared with the first half of 2013. Net profit attributable to shareholders dropped by 68% over last year to US$7 million. Diluted earnings per share in the first half were US$0.2.

Friday, August 08, 2014

Tarsus’ subsidiaries to co-organise Zuchex Indonesia

News this week: A new homeware products show will be launched in Indonesia later this year. Zuchex Indonesia 2014 will be co-organised by Tarsus’ subsidiary companies, Tarsus Dyandra in Indonesia, and Turkey-based Life Media. The inaugural show will be held at the Jakarta Convention Centre (JCC) from 13^th to 15^th November.

The inaugural show will feature more than 150 international brands showcasing the latest kitchenware, small domestic appliances, porcelain and ceramics, storage solutions, cutlery, cookware, bakeware, barware, tableware, glassware and other housewares.

Life Media, established in 1995, is the organiser of housewares shows Zuchex Turkey and Ideal Homex in Istanbul. The company joined Tarsus Group in 2012 and also publishes trade magazines in Turkish and English focusing on housewares, lifestyle, and gift products.

HKTDC hosts four co-located fairs in August

News this week: The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) will host four co-located fairs at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) beginning on 14^th August 2014.

Two fairs will end on 16^th August – Hong Kong International Tea Fair and the International Conference & Exhibition of the Modernization of Chinese Medicine & Health Products (ICMCM). The International Tea Fair will showcase a wide range of tea from 10 countries and regions, as well as tea-ware and other related products. The 13^th edition of ICMCM is jointly organised by HKTDC and the Modernized Chinese Medicine International Association, and will feature more than 130 exhibitors from 10 countries and regions.

The 25^th edition of Food Expo and the inaugural Home Delights Expo will run until 18^th August. More than 1,100 exhibitors are expected to showcase a wide range of international food products at the food expo – which will also host 14 group and national pavilions this year. The newly launched Home Delights Expo will see 140 brands present various electrical appliances and household products.

1,500+ exhibitors at Reed’s Tokyo book fair

News this week: International exhibition organiser, Reed Exhibitions, concluded its Tokyo International Book Fair (TIBF) and concurrent shows last month with attendance from 1,526 exhibitors and 62,855 visitors.

Billed as the leading trade show for publishing in Japan and Asian, TIBF ran from 2^nd to 5^th July at Tokyo Big Sight. Five shows were concurrently held with TIBF: e-Book Expo Tokyo, Licensing Japan, Creators’ Expo, Production Companies Expo and Content Solution Expo.

Major exhibitor zones at TIBF this year included the Humanities & Social Science Book Fair, Children’s Book Fair, Books Accessories Zone, Natural Sciences Book Fair, Solutions for Publication Distribution Zone, and a General Zone. Meanwhile, the 18^th edition of e-Book Expo gathered the latest technologies and services for the digital publishing industry, and launched a new Digital Printing Zone this year.

The next edition of TIBF will return to Tokyo Big Sight, running from 1^st to 4^th July 2015.

Hangzhou to receive dedicated CVB

News this week: The Hangzhou Tourism Commission (HTC) is looking to take on the role as the city’s convention and exhibition bureau (CVB) in the near future reports TTGmice. According to the HTC, the eastern Chinese city hosted around 10,000 delegates through 15 international meetings in 2013, and is targeting to reach 25 by 2017.

The CVB will be operated through a newly established division, Hangzhou MICE Promotion Center, and joins HTC’s existing branch of Hangzhou Tourism Promotion Center. Earlier in 2009, the Hangzhou Tourism Promotion Center established a MICE department, and set up the Hangzhou MICE Association in 2010 which currently has more than 100 members.

Roger Shu, MICE manager of HTC, was quoted saying, “Hangzhou is number three in China’s MICE ranking. We do not want to lose out to Nanjing, which is also in the same position, and Chengdu, which was number three in 2012. Hangzhou’s need for a CVB like Singapore, like Hong Kong, and to professionalise the industry are being highlighted to the city’s mayor, and we hope the bureau can be set up by next year.”

Mumbai’s BCEC to be redeveloped

News this week: According to The Times of India, India’s largest privately-owned venue, Bombay Convention & Exhibition Centre (BCEC), will undergo a US$277 million redevelopment. Although a timeframe was not given, it was reported that clearance was recently received from the Maharashtra state environmental appraisal committee.

BCEB was built in 1991, and is owned by engineering group, NESCO. The venue is currently made up of four exhibition halls providing a total gross indoor exhibition space of more than 40,000 m². The redeveloped venue will reportedly consist of four 11-storey buildings which will house offices as well as two exhibition and convention centres.

The addition of venue space at BCEC will further add to a changing venue landscape in Mumbai. Indian conglomerate, Reliance Industries, reportedly began construction on a new mixed-use property in Mumbai last year that includes exhibition facilities. The Dhirubhai Ambani Convention & Exhibition Centre will reportedly feature 25,000 m² of gross indoor exhibition space and the venue is expected to be ready in 2016.

UBM’s events revenue down 2.8% in first half

News this week: Last week, London-based, UBM plc reported its interim results for the six months ended 30^th June 2014. Revenues in the first half were £361 million (US$618 million), down 7.9% from last year. UBM’s management attributed the drop to strong fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates. However, adjusted operating profit grew by 8.7% to £87 million (US$150 million) during the period.

Revenues generated from the company’s events business were £214 million (US$367 million), down 2.8% year-on-year and contributed to 59% of the group’s total. Adjusted operating profit for the events business was down 1.8% to £62 million (US$105 million). Although foreign exchange adversely affected the company’s financial performance, UBM reported forward bookings of its top 20 events were up by 7.5%.

Tim Cobbold, CEO of UBM, commented, “UBM has had a solid first half and remains on track to meet expectations for the full year. Although the reported performance was adversely impacted by currency headwinds, the Group performed well with good underlying revenue growth in both the Events and PR Newswire businesses and with higher operating margins in each of the three businesses.”

Friday, August 01, 2014

100+ exhibitors join Shanghai International Aviation & Space Fair

News this week: The 5^th edition of Shanghai International Aviation & Space Fair (SAS) recently attracted 102 exhibitors from 15 countries and regions to the Shanghai Exhibition Center. More than 40% of exhibitors originated from overseas, which included those from the U.S., Italy, Canada, Germany, Italy, Slovakia and Taiwan.

The trade fair was spread over a total exhibition space of 10,000 m² showcasing the latest products and technology on aviation and aerospace. SAS is jointly organised by Deutsche Messe and its subsidiary Hannover Milano Fairs Shanghai, and hosted by the Shanghai Association for Science & Technology, Shanghai Society of Aeronautics and Shanghai Society of Astronautics. The three-day fair ran from 26^th to 28^th June 2014 and attracted close to 5,800 trade visitors.

James Fu, general manager of Hannover Milano Fairs China commented, “The first time of Hannover Milano Fairs to organise the aviation and space fair concludes with a satisfied result. This three-day exhibition has attracted qualified visitors and demonstrates the high potential of China’s aviation and space industry. Most of the exhibitors from America, Canada, Germany, Italy, Slovakia, Czech and China Taiwan are intended to participate in the next SAS in 2016.”

TAITRA’s Myanmar auto parts show features 120 exhibitors

News this week: Last week, the second edition of Auto Expo Myanmar successfully concluded at the Tatmadaw Exhibition Hall in Yangon. Jointly organised by the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) and Taipei-based Chan Chao International, the show featured 120 exhibitors from eight countries and regions during 18^th to 21^st July.

Exhibitors from Taiwan, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, U.K., U.S., Vietnam and mainland China showcased automobile parts and components to a reported audience of 8,130 buyers – up 19% from last year. TAITRA expects the show to generate up to US$25 million in sales. According to TAITRA’s statistics, there are between 500,000 and one million automobiles in Myanmar, where the majority are second-hand imports.

Walter Yeh, executive vice president of TAITRA, was quoted saying, “Our debut in Myanmar last year featured the dual themes of auto parts and electromechanical equipment. This year, we are focusing on a single theme and it has paid off, attracting even more visitors to the expo.”

Close to 1,900 exhibitors join UBM’s June Hong Kong Jewellery & Gem Fair

News this week: UBM Asia’s June Hong Kong Jewellery & Gem Fair covered more than 70,000 m² of gross exhibition space at the Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) this year. The four-day trade show was held from 19^th to 22^nd June, and featured 1,894 exhibitors from 40 countries and regions.

According to UBM Asia, some 26,100 visitors from 117 countries and regions were in attendance. Around 64% of visitors originated from overseas with the largest participation recorded from mainland China (9,362), India (1,037), Taiwan (805), the Philippines (624), Thailand (608), Japan (511), the U.S. (440), Korea (421), Indonesia (291) and Australia (274).

Celine Lau, director of Jewellery Fairs of UBM Asia, commented, “The growth in exhibition space is a milestone of the June Fair. The roughly 10% growth in the number of visitors from Asia compared to last year’s edition shows that the region continues to be the engine of growth for the luxury jewellery market. The growth in the number of visitors from mainland China and India remained at double-digits this year.”

Reed’s exhibition revenues up 8% in first half

News this week: London-based media group, Reed Elsevier, reported its interim results for the six months ended 30^th June 2014. The group’s revenues grew by 4% to £2.8 billion (US$4.9 billion), while excluding for biennial exhibition cycling, revenues were up by 3%. Adjusted operating profit in the period was £860 million (US$1.5 billion), a year-on-year increase of 5%.

In the first half of 2014, the exhibitions business generated revenues of £490 million (US$838 million), up 8% year-on-year, including 2% of positive biennial cycling and timing effects. Adjusted operating profit in the six-month period also rose by 8%, amounting to £152 million (US$260 million).

Reed’s management highlighted its operations in the U.S. and Japan as a result of strong demand across its portfolio of events in the U.S. and strong growth recorded in almost all of its major Japanese events. In the first half of the year, Reed Exhibitions launched 20 new events and completed two small acquisitions.

Baidu’s revenue jumps 59% in Q2

News this week: Last week, leading Chinese-language Internet search provider, Baidu, reported revenues of US$1.93 billion for the quarter ended 30^th June 2014 – a jump of 59% year-on-year. Net income attributable to the company grew 34% from last year, amounting to US$572 million. Diluted earnings per share in the period were RMB 10.09 (US$1.63).

Most of Baidu’s revenues were generated from its online marketing services, which amounted to US$1.91 billion. In the second quarter of 2014, the number of active online marketing customers grew moderately by 4.3% over last year, reaching 488,000. Revenue per online marketing customer in the period was US$3,901, up 50% year-on-year.

Robin Li, chairman and CEO of Baidu, said, “We had a great quarter as we continued to build very strong mobile momentum. As the clear leader in mobile search, mobile map and app distribution, mobile revenue for the first time ever contributed to 30% of our total revenue.”

Tarsus’ revenues up 9% in first half

News this week: Earlier this week, London-listed media group, Tarsus Group, released its financial results for the six months ended 30^th June 2014. Group revenues were £23.1 million (US$40 million), like-for-like revenue was up 9% after adjusting for biennial exhibitions and acquisitions. Adjusted profit before tax in the first half of the year was £3.0 million (US$5.1 million), compared with £3.9 million (US$5.9 million) last year.

Tarsus’ management reported strong performance from emerging markets, especially in Dubai and China. In China, Tarsus acquired underwear show, SIUF, in April 2014, and recorded a strong performance in its first edition in May. The company also reported on the strong performance of its Chinese joint venture, Tarsus Hope Exhibition, which recorded significant revenue increase during the period.

Douglas Emslie, Tarsus’ managing director, said, “Tarsus has delivered a solid performance in what is the quietest six months for trading in our two-year cycle. We are continuing to progress our ‘Quickening the Pace’ strategy which has seen us make a number of strategic acquisitions in the last year as well as accelerate launch activity as we seek to replicate some of our leading brands internationally.”

UBM acquires Seatrade Communications

News this week: UBM plc announced its acquisition of long-term partner, Seatrade Communications Ltd, a global B2B media company focused on the maritime industries. The two companies have partnered on various maritime events in the past. Seatrade’s executive chairman and owner, Chris Hayman, will remain as chairman of the business.

Seatrade’s portfolio of global events includes Seatrade Latin America Cruise Convention, Seatrade Middle East Cruise Forum, Sea Asia in Singapore, Seatrade Middle East Maritime in Dubai, and Seatrade Offshore Marine and Workboats Middle East in Abu Dhabi. These events are supported by various online and print publications including Seatrade Cruise Review, Seatrade Insider, Seatrade Global portal and Seatrade Magazine.

Michael Duck, UBM’s global maritime director and executive vp of UBM Asia, commented, “We have enjoyed a successful partnership with Seatrade for many years, and are delighted to now bring UBM and Seatrade together as one business to better serve our community of customers, delegates and readers across the maritime world. The unified portfolio and management structure will create a simplified, coherent and stronger global offering for our clients.”

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