As expectations from organisers and visitors soar, event venues worldwide are redefining their offerings, prioritising sustainable operations, innovative design, and the concept of a comprehensive destination.
This was shared by panellists during the How Are Venues Evolving to Meet the Future of Events? session at the recently-concluded UFI Congress 2025.
The Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York, following a US$2 billion transformation, exemplifies this shift. Aside from an expanded showfloor, the venue now features a rooftop farm that facilitates ‘farm-to-table’ experiences using rainwater capture and pesticide-free crops.
Its CEO, Joyce Ann Leveston, highlighted: “We are also a leader in sustainability, with over 2,000 solar panels and track all power uses. We can break down the usage of the power and provide clients with carbon offsets.”
Leveston also shared how operators should focus on activating non-traditional spaces – such as allowing electric car test drives inside the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, for instance.
“Be a good listener rather than an order taker. Help clients understand their vision and help them achieve it. Every space has something unique, make sure to tap into the venue, city, or region, and empower the team to make decisions,” she advised.
Over in Hong Kong, the brand-new Kai Tak Sports Park (KTSP) boasts a number of sustainability measures, including solar roofs and composing waste. On the design front, KTSP’s CEO John Sharkey emphasised the need to innovate the audience journey by integrating a digital experience with a physical event.
As a prime example of destination branding and immersive experience, Sharkey cited a 100-metre audiovisual experience sponsored by Cathay: an LED screen erected at the West Bridge that plays back the old runway with planes taking off, inviting visitors to embark on a journey through the shared history of Cathay and Hong Kong.
Meanwhile, host of the UFI Congress 2026, Exhibition World Bahrain, is leveraging its size to make the country itself the venue.
Huda Al Shamlan, head of marketing, communications & partnership, explained that the entire nation coordinates to ensure a seamless visitor experience. Hosting the 2025 Asian Youth Games held in October 2025, demonstrated this effort, where 9,000 delegates benefited from nationwide exposure.
“Moreover, we give international organisers a market that opens local business opportunities, with immediate connection to the region. Saudi Arabia is a 30-minute drive across the border, for instance. We market to these wider regional audiences, as major cities like Doha, Kuwait, and Oman are only 35 to 50 minutes away by flight. You really get that wider activation happening,” he added.
