Despite energy shortages, aviation disruptions and consequent price increases, events in the maritime, F&B, business events and tourism sectors are proceeding as planned.
The 19th Asia Pacific Maritime (APM) conference and exhibition in Singapore from March 25 to 27 was its largest-ever edition. It drew 19,431 attendees, a 23.6 per cent increase over the 2024 event.
“The numerous deals and partnerships announced underscore APM’s role beyond that of a maritime marketplace; it also serves as a platform for showcasing best-in-class innovations and setting the stage for solutions that will shape the future of the industry,” said Yeow Hui Leng, APM’s group project director.
Singapore is the world’s largest bunkering hub and busiest container transhipment hub. As the war drags on, market watchers are waiting to see the response to the annual Singapore Maritime Week comprising an exhibition, conferences, site tours and community activities from April 20 to 24.
Eyes are also on IDEM 2026 from April 17-19, positioned as the leading dental exhibition and conference in Asia Pacific and projecting some 10,000 participants, as well as the mega-event Food & Hospitality Asia (FHA), running from April 21-24.
FHA is reintegrating F&B and HoReCa (the hotel, restaurant and café segment), co-located with Prowine Singapore and IndusFood Asia into a single edition – “the biggest FHA event in a decade” with an estimated 2,750 exhibitors and 80,000 attendees from more than 115 countries, according to its organiser, Informa Markets.
Also optimistic is Northstar Travel Group, owner of The Meetings Show Asia Pacific, which reported that it is progressing well, with strong participation and growth from across Asia Pacific.
“While we remain mindful of evolving travel conditions globally, we are in close contact with our partners and continue to support attendees with timely updates and on-the-ground coordination. We look forward to delivering a productive and well-attended edition,” Northstar said.
Queried on the cryptic online notice “BuildTech Asia, originally scheduled for 24-26 March 2026, will no longer take place”, Constellar Events told micenet that “as part of Constellar’s regular portfolio management process, last year the company decided to discontinue BuildTech Asia”.
No post-event statistics are available on Aviation Festival Asia’s March 25-26 final appearance in Singapore before it moves to Bangkok in 2027, however, exhibitors said Middle-East visitors were missing.
The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) noted that Singapore’s MICE industry is experiencing some effects, primarily from flight disruptions affecting accessibility. However, many organisers still consider Singapore a preferred destination due to its strong safety record, political stability and proven ability to deliver high-quality events efficiently, within compressed timelines.
Reassuring MICE organisers and planners, STB said it “continues to monitor the global situation and works in close partnership with industry partners to ensure Singapore remains resilient, competitive and maintains its reputation as a trusted destination”.
Thailand hasn’t yet experienced event postponement and cancellation. Thai DMCs have received enquiries of event relocation as Asia is considered a safe zone, said Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB).
“The more the situation is prolonged, the more challenges the industry will be facing. In response, TCEB is working hand-in-hand with our industry partners to ensure resilience,” said Supawan Teerarat, president of TCEB.
“We are encouraging energy-efficient operations to manage costs, while also taking a proactive role in facilitating the industry — through more flexible support mechanisms and adaptive criteria — to ease constraints and ensure events can still be successfully delivered, even under uncertain conditions.”
One such future event, Money20/20 Asia is scheduled for April 21-23 in Bangkok.
“We’re seeing strong momentum, with attendance and sponsor volume tracking ahead of last year and particularly strong demand from across APAC,” said Danny Levy, Money20/20’s executive vice president and managing director for APAC and the Middle East.
“As the region’s leading fintech event for senior decision-makers, it continues to be where the industry comes together to build partnerships and do business, despite broader travel complexities.”
Based on direct feedback from a few would-be attendees, the Global Sustainable Tourism Conference in Phuket from April 21-24 is seeing a small decrease from European participants, related to flight availability and safety concerns associated with the war in the Middle East, noted Global Sustainable Tourism Council CEO Randy Durband.
“However, the overall outlook remains positive, and most of our planned international participants are still expected to come to Phuket for GSTC2026,” he said.
If Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC) is seen as a bellwether for international MICE events in Malaysia, then April and May look steady.
“We have not received any cancellations, postponements or confirmed reductions in event size, including incentive groups.
“We are seeing increased enquiries from international organisers regarding contractual clauses related to event cancellation and delegate attrition. This suggests a heightened level of caution in the market,” said KLCC.
Organisers are actively monitoring the situation, gathering feedback from their stakeholders, and evaluating event plans to ensure they are prepared for any worst-case scenarios, it added.
