Informa is buying Clarion.  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

Read online The $3 Billion Deal That May Reshape the Events Industry Informa is buying Clarion.   David McMillin, Skift Meetings Head of Content October 6th, 2026 Meeting planners may not spend much of their days thinking about EBITDA and diluted EPS. But dealmakers do — and today's $3 billion announcement that Informa is buying Clarion shows just how much value they see in meetings and events. It's the second-largest organizer deal ever, and if approved, it will give one company even more leverage across venues and suppliers. Head below for the full story from Andrea Doyle, and stay tuned for more reaction to the news. — David McMillin       ON DEMAND Did you miss our debrief of all the action at Skift Meetings Forum? No worries. Sign up to access the recording here and unpack all the insights from New York. Sponsored by Bahamas Ministry of Tourism and Experience Kissimmee. WATCH THE WEBINAR             FEATURED STORIES Informa's $3 Billion Clarion Deal Set to Reshape Events Industry By Andrea Doyle Informa was already the world’s largest exhibition organizer. Its nearly $3 billion acquisition of Clarion Events raises a bigger question: What happens when one company controls roughly 1,000 B2B brands and gains even greater leverage with the destinations, venues, suppliers, and exhibitors it does business with? GET THE STORY New Industry Community Will Focus on Seasoned Pros By Barbara Scofidio The industry devotes a lot of energy to mentoring the younger generation. APEX Event Network is betting that the most experienced planners need resources to continue their professional development, too. GET THE STORY 6 Lessons to Navigate the Future of Events By Andrea Doyle The planners who do well in 2027 won't be the ones doing more. They'll be the ones who know what to protect, what to verify, and when to say no. GET THE STORY Private Equity's $6 Billion Bet on Trade Shows By Andrea Doyle Private equity is paying top dollar for trade shows on the theory that AI can't replace a show floor. PE-owned organizers grew 11.4% last year, well ahead of most rivals, but Informa still dominates the top of the list after buying its way to 30% growth. GET THE STORY             What Australia Gets Right About Sustainable Events Business Events Australia + Skift Meetings Think designing a more sustainable meeting means paying more money? Think again. As planners work to design programs that take better care of the planet, more of them are finding an answer in Australia. LEARN MORE             FREE REPORT Our new research offers a look at how at corporate meeting planners are navigating the current landscape. Download it today to learn how 111 in-house corporate planners are dealing with geopolitical pressures, ROI expectations, AI, contracts, and more. This report was produced in partnership with MPI and is sponsored by Caesars Entertainment and Convene. GET THE REPORT             WORTH YOUR TIME Five things worth your time today. What 20 years of building events proves about their real value. How meeting planners can spot sophisticated scams. What a trade show looks like when the product isn’t allowed on the exhibit floor. Why Gen Z will make us rethink meeting design. When AI agents might start outnumbering humans in the events industry.             SKIFT PICK: TRANSLATING TRAVEL TRENDS FOR MEETINGS Out of Retirement, and Into the Reauthorization Fight Caroline Beteta just retired from leading Visit California, but she isn’t heading for any relaxing beach in the Golden State just yet. Instead, she’s heading to Brand USA as interim CEO, the same temporary gig she held back in 2012. It’s the same title, but it’s a very different job. Congress cut the cap on Brand USA's federal matching funds by 80% last year, the staff shrank 15%, five of 11 board seats sit empty, and funding only runs through September 2027. Beteta calls her priority "singular": getting Brand USA reauthorized. Meanwhile, America's actual brand is in rough shape. Overseas arrivals were down about 12% year over year in August, and the U.S.-Canada standoff is spilling into conference attendance. If your event depends on international registrations, root for Beteta, but don’t budget around her. Destination marketing takes years to pay off, and Brand USA spent last year fighting for its own funding. Plan 2027 as if international numbers stay soft, and build in virtual or regional options for the attendees who won’t make the trip.             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.       1    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