The quarterly results presented by GL events group in a way set the tone for the recovery of the MICE segment worldwide. As a major player in congress sites and corporate events, the French group recorded growth of 19.2% over the first nine months of the year. Its sales amounted to €437.8m at the end of September 2021, with a large proportion of this - €228m - generated over the last three months.
The upturn in business is particularly noticeable in Asia, notably in China and Japan, due to operations linked to the Tokyo Olympics this summer. France, with the return to full capacity and the introduction of the health pass, is also contributing to this upturn. " After a first half of activity down on 2019 and 2020, our business is back on trackis demonstrating its resilience and showing signs of recovery" said Olivier Ginon, Chairman and CEO of the GL events Group. At the end of September, Asia exceeded its level of activity for 2019. "
Thanks to events such as the 18th China-ASEAN Exhibition and the 24th International Optoelectronics Exhibition in China, and the IUCN Nature Congress and Maison & Objet in France, the GL events Live division, which includes corporate, institutional and sports events, recorded quarterly sales of €123 million, i.e. almost double the sales achieved in the previous quarter.
In the GL events Exhibitions division, which includes the organisation of more than 300 trade fairs owned by the French group, sales of €53.3m were up 56.3 1Q3 compared with the 2nd quarter of 2021. However, for the first nine months of the year, sales were still down sharply on the same period in 2019by -46.2% . However, this division has benefited from a number of trade shows held in France since June - including Sirah in Lyon and Première Vision in Paris - including some postponed until the first half of 2021. The Group also stresses that it has continued to "This will enable us to deliver digital solutions, particularly for international exhibitions, to maintain the link between exhibitors and visitors when travel is prohibited. "
Lastly, the GL events Venues division, which manages some fifty convention and exhibition centres around the world, was penalised by the administrative closures that affected event venues in the first part of the year in Europe and that are still in place in South America until November. Over 9 months, sales came to €78.9m, down -5.1% on 2020 and -66.3 % on 2019. However, third-quarter sales, at €51.7m, more than tripled compared with the second quarter of 2021, thanks to the organisation of numerous trade fairs in Toulouse, Metz, Strasbourg and Saint-Etienne
In light of this upturn in business, GL events is maintaining its targets for 2021, estimating that it will achieve sales of close to €700 million. The Group emphasises thatin the final quarter, business should continue to grow The highlights for GL events will be the Dubai World Expo and COP 26 in Glasgow. As for trade fairs, while November will see the organisation of the first events in Chile and Brazil, the momentum will be driven in Europe by regional and national events.
