Integrated event industry group, GL events has announced an 11.3% rise in 2025 Q1 revenue. Revenue for the period totalled €430m. Highlights included continuing growth in South America and several hundred million euros from mega events to be spread over 2025 and 2026.
The FY 2025 guidance for revenue growth is now above 5%.
Of the group’s three divisions, Exhibitions showed the largest percentage increase (23.5%) for the period, with revenues of €123.3m, up from €99.8m on the same Q1 period for 2024.
The Venues division showed an 11.3% upturn on 2024 (€111.2m), while in the largest, Live, division revenues rose just 1.6% compared to Q1 2024.
Olivier Ginon, chairman-CEO of GL events, commented: “GL events has got off to an excellent start in 2025, bolstered by strong fundamentals, particularly in Brazil and France, and by the remarkable commitment of its teams around the world. This double-digit growth confirms our strategic market position as an organiser of major world events and a promoter of sustainable management and operating models for major event venues contributing to the socio-economic development of destinations.
“Our recent success in winning major contracts (for several hundred million euros for mega events spread over 2025 and 2026) illustrates our capacity for maintaining a trajectory of steady growth. It also reflects our goal of building more sustainable events for every type of public. We have every confidence in our ability to meet our targets for 2025.
“At the same time, in an international environment marked by a trade war whose effects are still difficult to assess, we are adopting a cautious approach. True to our vision and ambitions, we will continue to seize the best opportunities for creating value for all our stakeholders and shareholders.”
The group said strong growth in the Exhibitions division, which manages and coordinates the group’s portfolio of more than 200 proprietary trade fairs covering a wide range of sectors, was underpinned by several major events which, in conjunction with a positive biennial effect, confirm the sector’s post-Covid rebound.
Sirha and Global Industrie in Lyon both posted double-digit growth in activity. Other highlights of the quarter included Be Positive Lyon, Première Vision Paris, Tranoï Paris Women and CFIA.
However, in China, the group reported its exhibitions devoted to the construction and fittings sector had not yet benefited from the strategy of expanding the product range. In contrast, GL events said the CACLP exhibition maintained a high level of activity, retaining its position as the world’s leading exhibition for the in vitro diagnostic industry.
GL events Venues division reported revenue good growth in France based on activity in Lyon (SIRHA, Global Industrie, Salon du 2 roues, CTCO and the Salon du Randonneur), Saint Etienne, ClermontFerrand (Geek convention) and Metz (WorldSkills Grand Est). In international markets growth was driven by sites in The Hague (Aveva Ignite EMEA), Johannesburg (G20 Preparatory Meeting), Santiago de Chile, Rio de Janeiro (Super Rio Expo Food), Santos and Sao Paulo (Expo Revestir, Plastico Brazil).
Despite an increasingly uncertain geopolitical environment, and following the strong growth of 2024, the group is now aiming for significant growth in revenue of over 5%, an improved operating margin and CapEx of €80m (down from the levels of 2024 and 2023). On a like-for-like basis, the Group is expecting a reduction in its net debt.
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