2025 was a great year! A year in which everything came together: familiar trade shows, inspiring new formats and a growing need for live encounters. It is alive and well within Jaarbeurs! Sport, public, culture and content found each other like never before.
2026 promises to be another year full of special moments. Major international meetings return, such as the joint edition of VIV and Victam, but also Railtech and World of Industry, Technology & Science find their way to Utrecht again. We also welcome new target groups with events such as the Emigration Fair and Workplace Experience.
With two editions of Gymrace and HYROX, sporting life is buzzing in our halls again. At the same time, experience concepts such as Van Gogh, Bubble and the new VR Experience in Hall 5 fill the year with surprising moments of inspiration and immersion.
Behind the scenes, our teams for hospitality, parking, sustainability and services are working hard every day to make successful events even better. We are extremely grateful to you, our partners, for your trust and the pleasant cooperation. Together, we continue to build events that inspire, connect and grow.
In this newsletter, we take you along: from highlights from 2025 to all that 2026 will bring. Curious or questions? Let us know!
On behalf of our entire team, I wish you a very wonderful start to this new year!
Warm regards,
Herman Mantel
CCO Royal Dutch Jaarbeurs
2025: A year to be proud of
2025 showed what is possible when events really come to life. Besides trusted partners such as Beurs Eigen Huis, Second Home and Vakbeurs Openbare Ruimte - events that have been accommodated in the heart of the Netherlands for years - we discovered new worlds.
Sport shook us up. HYROX, GYMRACE and pop-up pickleball brought a wave of energy, perseverance and passion. Competitive, accessible and irresistible: thousands of visitors allowed themselves to be seduced by the impossible. This was sport that inspires, connects and challenges.
In parallel, imagination transformed our halls. Heroes Dutch Comic Con, Disney On Ice, Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience and Bubble Planet opened doors to other worlds - moments when visitors let go of everything and surrendered completely to wonder.
In December, it all came together in Jaarbeurs's Winter World. Together with the Beatrix Theatre, Kinepolis and a range of partners, we created a vibrant Utrecht Winter Spectacle that absorbed thousands of visitors every day. A festive, magical end to the year.
Finally, Thunderdome. The legendary return of an icon: 40,000 hearts pounding in sync to beats connected by pure passion and unadulterated energy. A night that showed how powerful music and community can be together.
One common thread ran through everything: meeting is what drives us. In whatever form, wherever - Jaarbeurs is the place where people find each other.
International conferences: reaping what has been sown
The past year felt like an affirmation. Of years of building, collaborating and investing. Thanks to strong partnerships in the city, including the municipality, province, Utrecht & Partners and the Utrecht Congress Alliance, the international congress offer is growing solidly. And we are very proud of that.
We were able to welcome events such as the International Forum on Quality and Safety in Healthcare and the European Microwave Week, for example. Utrecht as a congress city is increasingly firmly on the map, and Jaarbeurs is growing along with it.
Choices on the plate
We are also making strides when it comes to food and drink. Our offering has been revamped and captured in our updated Foodbook: 'a conscious choice', based on 11 principles that bring our vision to life. From local ingredients to social impact; every part of the offer is thoughtful and forward-looking.
By working with innovative suppliers and choosing responsible products, we actively contribute to a healthy planet and society. At the same time, the range has been broadened: more variety to suit different target groups and budgets.
We will continue to invest in quality and service in 2026. For example, by introducing a hybrid learning environment and offering a kitchen assistant training course. Or by using a purchasing dashboard to measure sustainability on suppliers and assortment. We are also in the process of setting up our own sandwich kitchen to bake and top fresh bread ourselves.
Choosing together for circular
Starting this year, we are fully committed to circular stand construction for all our trade shows. That means: modular stand construction packages that are reusable, with transparency on materials and origin through product passports.
With this choice, we are taking the next step towards more sustainable events together. We work closely with organisers and exhibitors to make circular choices practical and attractive. Whether it concerns walls, furniture or extra elements: we are happy to help you find solutions that suit your stand and ambitions. This is how we make circularity concrete together. Want to know more about circular stand construction?
Additional parking facility almost ready
Our central location in the heart of the Netherlands makes us easily accessible for everyone. By car, you can access our various car parks.
Experience and the comfort of our visitors and customers is paramount. In recent months, we have worked to prepare the temporary additional parking facility on the site of the former Holland Casino building on the Merwedekanaal side of the Jaarbeurs site.
The temporary extra parking facility P1 will soon be completed. We expect to be able to start using it by the end of February. With this, we have realised 166 extra parking spaces and 28 extra charging stations. Entry can be via Expo Square, exit via Admiraal Helfrichlaan. This facility helps us to further improve accessibility during busy periods.
Want to know more about this temporary additional parking facility?
On to the coming months
Great news: live events are stronger than ever. Meeting each other 'in real life' - networking, sharing inspiration, exchanging knowledge - is more central than ever. The power of encounters proves itself time and again, whether it be sports events, international conferences or large-scale public experiences. Jaarbeurs makes those encounters possible.
We continue to invest in what matters: our location, facilities, service, hospitality and sustainability. At the same time, we see - like everyone else - that costs are rising. To continue to guarantee the quality and service level you can count on, we apply an indexation of 3 to 3.5%. A necessary step to remain future-proof and facilitate your event in the best possible way.
We look forward to what 2026 brings, together with you: new opportunities, great encounters and strong events that make an impact.
