ES. SNIEC has been a benchmark for operational excellence and customer-centricity. What are some of the core principles or strategies that have helped you sustain such high standards year after year?
Michael Kruppe. The principle is stay focussed and alert. If the strategy must be adapted due to market requirements, then we must be able to act quickly. However we have observed that basically the key to a successful event is to deliver top service. Honestly that is nothing new but one do not always have to invent the wheel over and over again. If it works it works so we will continue to deliver what we promise.
ES. You’ve successfully led SNIEC through multiple market phases — from rapid growth to global disruption. What do you believe defines the “new era” of exhibitions in Asia?
Michael Kruppe. The main change is that Asia becoming commercially and politically more and more important globally. That creates a new overall Asian confidence and this also reflects in the way exhibitions are being held.
ES. The S+ Model at SNIEC has drawn international attention for its focus on service, safety, and sustainability. How has this model evolved recently, and how are organisers responding to it?
Michael Kruppe. S+ was launched about 2 years ago so it s relatively young and we do not want to change every 2 years into a new slogan or business model. What we see is that the sometimes overheated focus on ESG is recently cooling down a bit, also due to missing attractive Business models along the way. ESG is naturally a cost driver and thus especially smaller companies think twice before diving in too deep.
ES. With 2025 shaping up as a strong rebound year for exhibitions worldwide, what key growth drivers are you observing in the Chinese and broader Asia-Pacific exhibition markets?
Michael Kruppe. Along with an overall reduction on booked space we however have seen for abt 10 pct of our expos an over proportional growth. This was mainly for industries which focus on exports to the ASEAN countries and surprisingly also for construction an machinery expos. Here we saw a major shift from exhibitors and visitors from Europe and America into Southeast Asia, India, Middle east and partly Russia.
ES. Flexibility and innovation have become crucial in venue management. Can you share some unique venue adaptations or new services that have enhanced organiser experiences at SNIEC?
Michael Kruppe. Finding new services is not easy work. We have set up a task force in SNIEC and we came up with some new services, like VIP lounge, Digital support for exhibitors or contractors, improved logistic apps, vending machines or even just power bank charger stations, etc. Besides we identified F&B as a key area where SNIEC does not have enough leverage , so stay tuned on that part for more to come.
ES. International collaboration is a key theme at this year’s UFI Congress. How do you see cross-border partnerships and venue alliances shaping the next decade of global exhibitions?
Michael Kruppe. In times of turmoil, wars whether military or trade wars it becomes even more important to stay connected on international level so cross-border talks, understanding our neighbours and vice-versa, becomes the key to survive. Our industry always learn from each other and i.e right now a lot is happening in Central Asia and Middle-East. So regular exchange between the regions always was important but again, in these difficult times it must be top focus especially between expo organizers.
Regarding venue alliances it may be a bit different. One show which is successful in region 1 not necessarily will be successful in region that’s about sales.
If we talk operations it is a different story. Here we can learn from each other and I myself travel around the world to learn from other venues and also their best practice & operations. This is not about competition , this is really about open and honest exchange.
ES. SNIEC has long been a magnet for leading trade shows across diverse sectors. Could you highlight a few recent large-scale or record-breaking exhibitions that best reflect the venue’s capabilities?
Michael Kruppe. The beauty of our industry and especially about the fast speed in Shanghai, which we call China speed, is that it is full of surprises. The last bauma China was the biggest one we ever had despite the dramatic slow down of the real estate and construction market. Also The PET show with 500.000 visitors in 4 days was bigger than ever. This shows that some industries still shine against all odds.
SNIEC
Reloaded
ES. In today’s environment, digital transformation is no longer optional. How is SNIEC leveraging data, AI, or automation to improve operations, security, or visitor experience?
Michael Kruppe. FOMO. That’s the first thing comes to my mind when talk about AI. Quick answer is that our customers, the show organizers are more in the forefront than us as a venue. Surely as a venue we also can use AI to improve operations but for sales related topics I do not see right now any urgent need. For facility maintenance we may use AI to better understand repair or maintenance cycles.
Also we may develop an app which is AI based and can predict demand for any kind of services needed by our customers. But right now it is not in our top focus but surely we will watch and learn. Because as I said before China speed can not be ignored.
ES. As China continues to invest in large-scale infrastructure, what new developments or expansions are underway or planned to strengthen SNIEC’s position as a world-class exhibition venue?
Michael Kruppe. We are in a lucky position that being in Shanghai we are already in the middle of a mega international travel and logistic hub. And the infrastructure is being upgraded as we speak with faster trains , more flights or connections etc. So what we focus right now is to reload SNIEC that’s why we also chose the headline SNIEC RELOADED. We will upgrade and invest in our facility in many ways, like air conditions, sustainable roof tops and operations, new toilets, restaurants, vip lounge, etc.
The focus will be more on the customer experience and convenience truly following our credo ; S+ SAFETY SERVICE SATISFACTION
ES. Finally, as the global exhibition community converges at the UFI Congress in Hong Kong, what message or perspective would you like to share with your peers about the future of exhibitions?
Michael Kruppe. Haha. That simple and I am not getting tired to repeat it : THE SHOW MUST GO ON AND THE SHOW WILL GO ON.
