The Meetings Show

What The Meetings Show does

The Meetings Show is an annual B2B trade exhibition for the UK meetings, incentives, conferences and events (MICE) industry, held at ExCeL London and operated by Northstar Travel Media, LLC through its Northstar Meetings Group division. Founded in 2013 and now in its 12+ year, the show runs over two days and brings together hundreds of exhibitors (561 in the 2025 edition) and qualified hosted buyers (1,484 in 2025), generating 16,051 pre-scheduled one-to-one appointments. It is self-described as the UK's leading exhibition for the events, meetings and incentives community and is recognized through the AEO association partnership ecosystem.

The core product is the in-person exhibition, but it is layered with a web-based registration and Hosted Buyer Diary scheduling platform, an event mobile app, and an education programme spanning three stages. AI-generated session summaries are delivered through a partnership with Snapsight, photo delivery is handled by GetPica, and the annual The Meetings Show Playbook is produced with Lim visualizers. Sub-brands extend the offering: The Meetings Show Asia Pacific serves the APAC market, Connect 365 is a monthly newsletter reaching 40,000+ subscribers, and two online sustainability courses (introductory and advanced) provide year-round educational revenue.

The business model combines exhibition stand fees from suppliers (sold as one-time/multi-year packages), sponsorship packages (a mix of cash and contra arrangements covering logo placement, email banners and media distribution), and free admission for qualified buyers under a freemium model. Distribution is run by an internal sales team (VP Sales EMEA, Account Directors), with buyer recruitment handled by a dedicated Hosted Buyer Operations function. The company's geographic footprint is concentrated in the UK with an emerging APAC extension, and it sits within a larger diversified travel media conglomerate rather than as a standalone venture.

Name

The Meetings Show

Legal name

Northstar Travel Media, LLC

Website

https://themeetingsshow.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Meetings Show is the UK's leading annual B2B trade exhibition for the MICE industry, held at ExCeL London and operated by Northstar Travel Media, LLC. It connects 500+ venues, hotels and destinations with 1,000+ qualified hosted buyers through pre-scheduled appointments and education programming.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Trade Exhibition (MICE Events)

NAICS

Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (561920)

akta.pro primary industry

Industry-Specific B2B Trade Show Organizers (THAHABAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Conference & Trade Show Registration Platforms (THAHAFAB)

Keywords

• Trade exhibition services
• MICE industry events
• Hosted buyer programme
• Events industry networking
• Venue and destination marketplace

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Revenue model

1. Exhibition Stand Fees: Revenue is generated from exhibitors who purchase stand space at the show. Stand packages are available at varying sizes and configurations, with different pricing tiers for space-only options.
2. Sponsorship Packages: Partnerships and sponsorships including official partner status, logo placement, magazine distribution, email banners, website banners, app banners, exhibitor profiles, blog posts, and social media promotion. Partnerships are structured as contra agreements (non-monetary exchange).
3. Buyer Registration: Free attendance for qualified buyers within the events industry, with separate options for visitor buyers, hosted buyers, students, and exhibitors.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Meetings Show organizes an annual B2B trade exhibition at ExCeL London for the meetings, incentives, conferences, and events (MICE) industry. It brings together hundreds of exhibitors (venues, hotels, destinations, DMCs) and thousands of qualified buyers through a hosted buyer programme featuring pre-scheduled one-to-one appointments, alongside an education programme of multi-stream sessions. Revenue is generated from exhibition stand sales and sponsorship packages, while buyer attendance is free.

Product overview

The Meetings Show is a single, unified trade exhibition product — the UK's leading event for the meetings, incentives, and events community — rather than a modular software platform. The core product is the annual two-day in-person exhibition at ExCeL London, which is complemented by several supporting offerings: the Education Programme with AI-generated session summaries via Snapsight; the Hosted Buyer Programme with diary platform and fam trips; The Meetings Show Playbook (produced with Lim); and two online sustainability courses (introductory and advanced) hosted on The Complete Sustainable Events Course platform. Additional touchpoints include the Media Hub/Connect 365 newsletter and GetPica photo delivery service. The show's technology infrastructure includes an event app for appointment booking, though no public API or developer programme is offered.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Meetings Show Asia Pacific: A regional edition of the show serving the Asia Pacific market
• Connect 365
• The Sustainable Events Course
• The Advanced Sustainable Events Course

Products and services

• The Meetings Show (Main Exhibition) The UK's leading trade exhibition for the meetings, incentives, and events industry, held annually at ExCeL London. Brings together hosted buyers, visitor buyers, and exhibitors for two days of appointments, networking, and education.
• Hosted Buyer Programme Programme connecting qualified buyers with exhibitors through pre-scheduled one-to-one appointments and presentations, including a proprietary diary platform, fam trips, and welcome reception.
• Education Programme Multi-stream educational content featuring sessions on three main stages, covering industry trends, sustainability, AI applications, and professional development for event planners.
• The Sustainable Events Course Introductory online sustainability course covering core principles such as travel, catering, and event production, available on-demand for industry professionals.
• The Advanced Sustainable Events Course Advanced online sustainability course providing deeper dive into sustainability as a discipline and its application to events.

Named customers13 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability3 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ExCeL LondoncoreOthersVenue Partner hosting The Meetings Show at ExCeL London exhibition centre. The venue provides the physical location for the annual two-day exhibition.
• EventwellcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerWellbeing and Neurodiversity Partner providing expertise on accessibility and wellbeing initiatives for show attendees.
• OneWorldRentalcoreTechnology or IntegrationOfficial Tech Partner providing technology solutions for the event including hardware and technical infrastructure.
• islacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSustainability Partner working with The Meetings Show on sustainability education and best practices. isla provides content including objection cards for sustainability conversations.
• Meeting NeedscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCharity Foundation Partner - the event industry's charitable foundation that connects the global meetings and events community with charitable causes. The partnership includes strategic collaboration across Northstar products.
• NipperboutminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial Crèche Partner providing childcare services at the show, making The Meetings Show the first event industry trade show to offer dedicated on-site childcare.
• TeamTogsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial Uniform Partner providing staff uniforms for the event.
• PresenterminorGTM or Marketing PartnerContent Production Partner responsible for producing show content and session recordings.
• ABPCOcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAssociation Partner - The Association of British Professional Conference Organisers is a key professional body partner for the show.
• ICCAcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAssociation Partner - International Congress and Convention Association, a global association partner.
• MIAcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAssociation Partner - Meetings Industry Association, a UK industry association partner.
• AEOcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAssociation Partner - Association of Event Organisers, recognized by AEO Awards.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• RX Global (Reed Exhibitions): RX Global is the exhibitions arm of RELX and operates IBTM World plus a broad portfolio of B2B trade shows across multiple industries. It is a broad incumbent because it competes in the same MICE exhibitions space while also operating adjacent exhibition categories at much larger scale.
• Informa Markets: Informa Markets operates one of the world's largest B2B exhibition portfolios across multiple verticals. It is a broad incumbent because it competes for both exhibitor wallet share and global trade show audience in adjacent categories including travel and events.

Others

• Cvent: Cvent is a leading event management software platform that also operates Cvent Connect, an annual industry conference for event professionals. It is an adjacent peer because while primarily a technology vendor, it overlaps with The Meetings Show through its buyer community and conference business targeting the same event planner audience.

Direct peers

• IMEX Group: IMEX Group operates IMEX Frankfurt and IMEX America, the two largest MICE industry trade exhibitions globally. It is the most directly comparable peer because both run hosted-buyer trade shows serving the same supplier and buyer ecosystem in the meetings and events industry.
• IBTM Asia Pacific: IBTM Asia Pacific is the regional APAC edition of IBTM World. It is a direct competitor to The Meetings Show Asia Pacific sub-brand, serving the same hosted buyer audience across the Asia Pacific MICE market.
• AIME (Asia Pacific Incentives & Meetings Event): AIME is the leading MICE trade exhibition in the Asia Pacific region, held annually in Melbourne. It is a direct competitor to The Meetings Show Asia Pacific sub-brand and serves the same hosted buyer audience across corporate event planners and suppliers.
• IBTM World: IBTM World is the flagship MICE trade exhibition operated by RX Global (Reed Exhibitions). It is a direct peer because it serves the same hosted buyer/supplier marketplace for the global meetings and events industry with a similar hosted buyer programme.
• IMEX America: IMEX America is the Americas-focused edition of the IMEX MICE trade exhibition. It is a direct peer because both events target the same hosted buyer-supplier matching format for the meetings and events industry in their respective geographies.

Emerging players

• The Business Travel Show: The Business Travel Show is a UK-based B2B trade exhibition focused on corporate travel buyers and suppliers. It is an adjacent peer with partial overlap because it serves a related buyer community (corporate event/travel managers) within the same UK events industry ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCI9rMmf2zMJDFTbiHUQIR1g
• Facebookfacebook.com/themeetingsshow
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-meetings-show
• Instagraminstagram.com/themeetingsshow
• Xx.com/MeetingsShow

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Meetings Show