Following failed bids to debut IBTM Asia Pacific in Singapore in 2020 and in Hong Kong in 2025, IBTM has chosen Bangkok, Thailand, to host an inaugural iteration of the event in mid-2027.
The event is scheduled to take place at Bangkok International Trade & Exhibition Centre (BITEC) on June 9 and 10, 2027.
IBTM is looking to capitalise on Asia Pacific’s position as the third-biggest global business events market, worth nearly $231.5 billion this year and expected to grow more than 12 per cent annually over the next three years.
“We are delighted to be launching a new event for the region, opening the door to a market with immense potential and introducing our proven model to a dynamic region with a strong appetite for growth,” said IBTM Asia Pacific’s exhibition director, Claudia Hall.
“Our vision is to build the region’s most influential event, offering a premium platform that brings together industry leaders through high-quality meetings, an inspiring conference programme and measurable commercial impact for both exhibitors and buyers.”
Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) is the host destination partner for the event.
The June dates for the 2027 show move it somewhat out of the crowded start of the global business events trade show calendar – the March dates for the cancelled 2025 edition in Hong Kong sandwiched it in between the long-established Asia Pacific Incentives and Meetings Event (AIME) in Melbourne in February and another new entrant into market, The Meetings Show Asia Pacific, which had its second iteration in Singapore in April 2025 and is coming back for its third next month, co-located with the Business Travel Show Asia Pacific.
However, the new dates also place the IBTM APAC show within a month of IMEX Frankfurt, so it remains to be seen whether the global industry has the bandwidth for another show in the first half of the year – not to mention three regional APAC shows in less than five months.
IBTM says its research “confirms strong demand for a dedicated regional platform, with key brands and buyer groups already signalling their intention to attend, attracted by IBTM’s track record for delivering quality meetings and measurable ROI”.
