Another day, another acquisition.  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

Read online 💰 Industry Consolidation Wave Continues Another day, another acquisition. Easyfairs' move to take full ownership of Nordic Live Expo reflects a broader shift in how exhibition companies are growing. As readers in America prepare to celebrate the country’s independence this weekend, Easyfairs’ acquisition is a signal of how challenging it is to remain independent in the meetings industry. Our team has been keeping close tabs on the uptick of M&A activity since a flurry of deals at the close of 2025. After so many major moves, it’s easy to wonder how many more companies can be bought and sold. Read on to learn more about the move, along with key insights from the founder of MCI’s Data + AI Lab and a full rundown of the top vendors in virtual event management platforms. If you’re in the U.S., enjoy the holiday weekend.     AWARDS DEADLINE EXTENDED Due to the overwhelming amount of interest, we want to make sure everyone has the chance to showcase their most creative and impactful work in travel. That’s why we’re extending the final deadline for the 2026 Skift IDEA Awards until July 6th at 11:59 p.m. ET. This is your opportunity to gain global recognition for your bold ideas, standout campaigns, and inspiring experiences that are pushing travel forward.  APPLY NOW         FEATURED STORIES Why Juliano Lissoni Believes Better Events Start With Better Questions By Miguel Neves Plenty of people talk about data in events. Fewer pair it with the human context that explains what dashboards can't. GET THE STORY Forrester Names Top Vendors in Rapidly Consolidating Virtual Event Platform Category By Miguel Neves Virtual events are growing in importance as a key source of valuable first-party data, making having the right tool for the job more important than ever. GET THE STORY Easyfairs Buys Out Nordic Live Expo, Latest Move in Events Consolidation Wave By Andrea Doyle Easyfairs is buying market share in the Nordics, a strategy increasingly defining the next phase of event industry consolidation. GET THE STORY         What MPI, IMEX, and ICCA Count On to Break Down Language Barriers Wordly + Skift Meetings Get a closer look at Wordly, the AI-powered translation and captioning service that ensures all attendees can interact with educational materials.  GET THE STORY         FREE REPORT Our latest report uncovers how AI is transforming the event experience and provides crucial insights for anyone looking to invest in event tech today. What’s inside: A vision of a reimagined the ideal AI-powered event experience. A plain-language explainer on LLMs, agentic AI, and MCP. 130+ AI-native event tech tools mapped across event phases. Questions to ask and red flags to look out for buying event tech. This report was produced in partnership with MPI and is sponsored by Wordly. GET THE REPORT         EVENTS Skift Meetings Forum On September 22, Skift Meetings' flagship event will bring together event leaders for a deep-dive on how the business of events is reinventing itself. This game-changing gathering gives event professionals the tools they need to thrive in a rapidly shifting business and geopolitical landscape. GET YOUR SEAT         DON’T MISS THESE STORIES Employees Struggle to Justify Attending Conferences as Colleagues are Being Laid Off By Barbara Scofidio Attending the same conference every year used to be a given. Now employees have to fight for it. View Article Hawaii Convention Center Funding Falls Short By Andrea Doyle As convention centers nationwide reinvent themselves, Hawaii risks reopening with a facility that's repaired but not fully ready to compete. View Article How to Write a Strong Meeting Justification Letter By Barbara Scofidio A closer look at materials from 10 professional associations identified the most essential elements of a meeting justification letter. View Article         Skift Meetings Toolkit Great events are built on strategy, innovation, and the right resources. The Skift Meetings Toolkit is your go-to hub for best practices in managing meetings and events. EXPLORE THE TOOLKIT         Thanks for being a regular reader. We are switching to a new email platform. Why? This change will allow for better delivery, and more engaging newsletters. Please take a moment to add this new email address to your contacts to ensure you continue receiving your newsletters without interruption. During this transition, these emails might land in your promotions or spam folder. To ensure you don’t miss out, please move this newsletter to your primary inbox.       DEFINING THE FUTURE OF TRAVEL. Update your email preferences or unsubscribe here © 2026 Skift 35 W 31st St. New York, New York 10001, United States Terms of Service