Three of the leading UK trade shows for the business tourism and travel industry are set to be sold to a US meetings and incentive giant in a £9m deal.

The Meetings Show, The Business Travel Show and Travel Technology Europe are to be acquired by Northstar Travel Group, which has entered into a “definitive agreement” to purchase the event properties by the end of April from Centaur Media PLC.

The entire CTM team is expected to join Northstar at the close. “We are thrilled with the combination of the Travel & Meetings business with Northstar Travel Group,” said David Chapple, group event director of CTM. “Northstar is the perfect strategic partner for our portfolio of exhibitions with the leading global brands in each of our travel markets.”

The acquisition of the Travel & Meetings business by Northstar is very exciting for all of the teams working across The Meetings Show, The Business Travel Show and Travel Technology Europe. Northstar’s portfolio, spanning corporate travel, travel technology and the global meetings and incentive industry, dovetails perfectly with our own and they have been our preferred choice from the outset.

“For all of our events, it is business as usual – the teams working on the shows, with their extensive knowledge of the sector, will be remaining exactly the same; our exhibitors and hosted buyers will have the same points of contact and we will be continuing to provide vital platforms for the meetings, events and travel industries to converge. Our next chapter, as part of the Northstar Travel Group, will open doors for us and lead to an even stronger future.”

Thomas Kemp, chairman and CEO of Northstar Travel Group, said: “The addition of Centaur’s Travel & Meetings exhibitions to our global portfolio of 80 events in 13 countries fits perfectly with our strategy to expand our event segment with the UK’s leading portfolio of travel shows. The acquisition also provides Northstar with a platform in London to expand our portfolio of travel information and marketing services properties in the UK and Europe and we are excited to add David Chapple and his team of travel event professionals to the Northstar team.”

The Meetings Show 2019 will take place on Wednesday 26 and Thursday 27 June at Olympia London, with more than 4,500 meeting and event professionals expected to attend. Following a change in format in 2018, the show is forecasting its strongest year to date.

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