Emerald acquires luxury events portfolio

This week has seen significant developments across the events industry – with major acquisitions, leadership changes and strong growth reports.

Emerald has agreed to acquire This is Beyond – adding seven luxury B2B events to its portfolio – while Erica Bartsch joins the company as EVP of strategy and communications. It has also announced the takeover of insurance conferences organizer Insurtech Insights.

In other leadership announcements, IMEX has appointed Kelly Grant as marketing director and Natalie Gestetner as brand ambassador to expand its reach.

Dubai World Trade Centre has reported a 26% rise in events, hosting 2.65 million participants in 2024 – also up 7% on the previous year.

Another takeover this week has seen Easyfairs as acquire the Digital Accountancy Show.

Our final story is a boost for the climate as Deutsche Messe has introduced a Climate Ticket, offering free public transport for trade fair participants. Read the full details below.

Emerald acquires luxury events portfolio

A deal has been agreed for Emerald to take over a global portfolio of experiential and luxury travel industry B2B events.

The move will see the organizer bring in seven high-value events in the acquisition of London-based This is Beyond.

It is aimed at diversifying its portfolio through targeting high-growth markets with leading brands, reinforcing its leadership in dynamic sectors and driving forward strategic growth initiatives.

Hervé Sedky, CEO of Emerald, said: “Entering this sector is an exciting opportunity for Emerald, and we are thrilled to welcome This is Beyond into our portfolio of world-class brands and events.

“By combining This is Beyond’s expertise with Emerald’s strengths in innovation, market leadership and in-person experiences, we will elevate our offerings, reinforce our presence in high-value markets and deliver exceptional ROI to our customers.”

The complete portfolio that will come under Emerald’s ownership include:

• PURE Life Experiences – Marrakech, Morocco – High-end experiential travel sector.
• LE Miami – Miami, Florida, USA – High-end contemporary travel sector and catering to a creative end consumer base.
• We Are Africa – Cape Town, South Africa – The world’s largest marketplace fully dedicated to the high-end African travel sector.
• We Are Africa North America – Sundance, Utah, USA – Focused on supporting high-end travel from North America to Africa.
• Further East – Bali, Indonesia – An outbound travel show for the high-end APAC travel region.
• Do Not Disturb – Borgo Egnazia, Italy – Private and exclusive travel experiences, such as private yachts, planes and villas.
• Specialists in Entertainment Travel – Addresses the fast-growing luxury entertainment travel sector.

This is Beyond was founded in 2009 and has since built a strong reputation in the $1.3 trillion luxury travel market through its ability to create original, exclusive experiences that meet the rising demand for high-end travel.

It curates specialized events that connect elite travel designers, global tour operators and in-house travel managers.

Serge Dive, CEO of This is Beyond, added: “Joining Emerald provides us with all the support we need to scale our vision and deliver even more exceptional experiences for our communities.

“I’m confident that together, we’ll reach new heights and continue to push the boundaries of what’s possible in the industry.”

Meanwhile, Emerald has also announced the takeover of of Insurtech Insights, a London-based company that serves the growing insurance technology community.

Insurtech Insights produces leading conferences across Europe, Asia and the US – serving as a top platform for networking, education and innovation in insurance.

In another move, the company has announced the appointment of Erica Bartsch as executive vice president of strategy and communications.

She will lead strategy, investor relations, corporate communications and strategic partnerships – working closely with the executive team to drive alignment across key stakeholders.

Hervé said: “We are thrilled to welcome Erica to the Emerald leadership team.

“Her strategic acumen and proven ability to shape compelling corporate narratives will be instrumental as we continue to evolve our portfolio, expand our industry influence and enhance engagement across our platforms.”

IMEX unveils two new roles to tackle industry change

Events giant IMEX Group has created two new roles to take on changes our industry is facing and reach new audiences.

Kelly Grant becomes marketing director, bringing over 15 years of experience in the global events industry.

The organizer’s new brand ambassador has been announced as Natalie Gestetner, who is based on the US west coast.

Carina Bauer, CEO of IMEX Group: “We’ve invested in our team and business so that we’re equipped to respond and flex to changes in the industry.

“Looking at research and speaking to our colleagues and friends around the world, there are many instances now where the event planning role sits within the marketing function and these new roles help us respond to that shift.

“We want to welcome this new audience of marketers and use our shows to demonstrate the true value of live events.

“These two senior level appointments signal our intention to advocate for live events as an important and measurable part of the marketing mix.”

Kelly now heads up the 16-strong marketing, content, social media and digital team – taking a customer-first approach which is personalized for audiences.

She will lead the rollout of a program of year-round content which is data-led to enable a measurable and highly targeted audience reach and attendee conversion.

Meanwhile, Natalie will work within the group’s new Impact team. She will work closely with brand-side executives and senior level marketers to introduce them to IMEX and explore how the shows can support strategic objectives and KPIs.

The group added that “significant strides” have been made with the introduction of a dedicated event for CMOs and senior marketing professionals at IMEX America 2024, with plans to develop this further in the year ahead.

DWTC records 26% jump in events for 2024

The Dubai World Trade Centre has recorded a 26% increase in events over a year.

Figures from the giant venue show 378 shows took place while it also welcomed 2.65 million event participants in 2024 – marking a 7% increase compared to the previous year.

MICE events collectively attracted 2.03 million attendees, reflecting a 30% year-on-year growth.

His Excellency Helal Saeed Almarri, director general of the DWTC,  said: “Our 2024 achievements reflect growth – not just in numbers, but in strengthening Dubai’s global market position.

“The remarkable increase in international participation underscores growing confidence in Dubai’s dynamic business ecosystem and DWTC’s role in fostering meaningful commercial connections.

“Our continued success in attracting new-to-market events across diverse sectors reaffirms Dubai’s unique appeal as a global hub where innovation meets opportunity.

“This momentum fuels our confidence as we drive forward with our ambitious venue expansion strategy to meet increasing global demand.”

Easyfairs takes over Digital Accountancy Show

Easyfairs has acquired the Digital Accountancy Show with aims to generate rapid growth and enhance the community’s 365 experience.

The takeover aims to utilize the pair’s shared focus on technology and digital innovation to provide strong foundations for the next step in the journey of the London event.

Since its launch in 2020, Digital Accountancy Show’s mission has been to drive change and support the evolution of the accounting profession.

Alison Willis, CEO of Easyfairs UK & Global added: “We are delighted to welcome Digital Accountancy Show on our journey to shape the future of events. At Easyfairs, we constantly challenge ourselves to look into the future and picture what the lives of our communities will look like.

“It’s clear that the Digital Accountancy Show team shares this vision having created a festival-like event that has a perfect blend of high quality content, vibrant social scene and innovative solutions; all while prioritising entertainment for the accountancy community.”

Dan Cockerton, co-founder of Digital Accountancy Show, said: “This partnership allows us to enhance our event’s mission even further and drive forward on a global basis, with the potential to impact hundreds of thousands of advisors and SME businesses.”

The next edition of the leading technology conference for accountants, bookkeepers and finance professionals will take place on April 1 and 2.

Deutsche Messe launches free Climate Ticket

Exhibitors and visitors to future Deutsche Messe trade shows will be automatically entitled to free train travel to the venue.

The Climate Ticket partnership with the ÜSTRA public transport association covers all routes on the operator’s network.

It also includes guest organizers hosting shows at the exhibition center, allowing them to offer the same benefit to their attendees.

Jochen Köckler, chairman of Deutsche Messe’s managing board, said: “The new Climate Ticket provides a convenient, cost-effective and sustainable way for visitors to get to our events.

“We are thus taking a proactive step toward reducing CO2 emissions, easing traffic congestion and enhancing the appeal of Hannover as a premier trade fair venue.”

Ulf-Birger Franz, head of the Hannover region’s Department of Economic Affairs and Transport, added: “We are delighted that – together with Deutsche Messe AG and the Climate Ticket – we will also be able to offer the tried-and-tested combined ticket scheme to all visitors to Hannover’s trade fairs in future.

“With this environmentally friendly offer, we are showing guests from all over the world that Hannover as a trade fair venue stands for a modern, sustainable and mobile lifestyle – that’s a great and important message.”

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