IN CHILE, GL EVENTS STRENGTHENS ITS INTEGRATED MODEL

On the occasion of Espacio Food & Service 2026, taking place from 29 September to 1 October at Espacio Riesco, GL events is entering a new phase of its development in Chile. Closer coordination between its activities now makes it possible to connect exhibition organisation, sector expertise and venue management more effectively.

Historically organised by Espacio Riesco, Espacio Food & Service joined FISA’s portfolio in 2026. FISA is the GL events Exhibitions entity in Chile, while the event continues to be hosted at Espacio Riesco, a venue operated by GL events Venues. This evolution goes beyond a simple change in event organisation: it brings to life a broader strategy aimed at bringing the Group’s businesses closer together to support exhibition growth and optimise venue capacities.

The 14th edition of Espacio Food & Service will once again bring together food industry professionals in Santiago. France will be the guest country for this edition, while the Maule Region will also be highlighted for its role in Chilean agricultural and food production.

Why does Espacio Food & Service illustrate this new dynamic

Espacio Food & Service is one of the first concrete examples of closer coordination between GL events Exhibitions and GL events Venues in Chile. Previously organised directly by Espacio Riesco, the exhibition is now managed by FISA within GL events Exhibitions, while continuing to be hosted at the venue that has contributed to its development.

This new organisation brings together two complementary areas of expertise: on the one hand, the sector, commercial and editorial knowledge required to develop a professional exhibition; on the other, the operational expertise of an event venue able to adapt its spaces, visitor flows and services to the needs of the event.

Espacio Food & Service therefore combines continuity with development. The exhibition retains its historic roots at Espacio Riesco while joining a portfolio of events structured around their respective markets.

The event itself continues to grow. A major meeting place for Chile’s food industry, Espacio Food & Service includes dedicated areas for FoodTech innovation, demonstrations and brand activations.

How is GL events bringing exhibition organisation and venue management closer together

In Chile, GL events is gradually building an organisation in which exhibitions and venues no longer operate as two separate activities, but as two complementary drivers of development. This approach makes it possible to pool expertise, improve operational coordination and identify new growth opportunities for each event.

Motortec Chile, Espacio Food & Service and ExpoCafé, previously organised by Espacio Riesco, have now joined FISA’s portfolio. They complement events such as ExpoSalud and are part of an organisation increasingly structured around the different economic sectors covered by GL events Exhibitions.

This evolution also concerns other major events in the Chilean market. Edifica is returning to Espacio Riesco, reconnecting with a venue with which the exhibition has a long-standing relationship. ExpoNaval will also be hosted there in 2026, following a move coordinated with the Chilean Navy to improve logistics and accessibility, particularly for international visitors.

The dynamic will continue in 2027 with the return of Expomin to Espacio Riesco and the hosting of SeguridadExpo at the venue. The objective is therefore not simply to concentrate more events on one site, but to create the conditions required for their continued development.

How can this complementarity accelerate exhibition growth

Combining these areas of expertise makes it possible to align venue capacity more directly with an event’s growth ambitions. SeguridadExpo is one of the clearest examples of this strategy in Chile.

Its move to Espacio Riesco will provide access to a new 12,000 sq. m exhibition area. This additional capacity is expected to support growth of nearly 30% in the number of exhibitors. The move demonstrates how venue availability, operational organisation and an exhibition’s commercial strategy can be developed together.

This approach also gives operational teams greater flexibility to evolve event formats, manage visitor flows, develop new spaces and support exhibitor growth. The venue therefore becomes more than simply a host location: it becomes one of the levers supporting the event’s development.

Conversely, a portfolio of major exhibitions also helps strengthen the venue’s activity and attractiveness. The relationship therefore works both ways: venues support event growth, while events help enhance and optimise venue capacity.

Why structure exhibitions around their sectors

Integrating Espacio Riesco’s events into FISA’s portfolio is also intended to strengthen their sector positioning. By bringing exhibitions closer to teams specialised in their respective markets, GL events can build on deeper sector knowledge, develop commercial synergies and encourage the sharing of expertise across events.

Espacio Food & Service therefore joins an environment more closely structured around the food industry. Motortec Chile is positioned in the automotive aftermarket, while ExpoCafé retains its specific positioning within the coffee community and among the general public. This organisation facilitates the development of content, partnerships and commercial propositions that are more directly connected to the issues facing each sector.

Espacio Food & Service 2026 already provides a concrete illustration of this approach. France will be the guest country, with the ambition of strengthening links with the French food ecosystem, while the presence of the Maule Region will highlight the producers, companies and expertise of a region that plays a strategic role in Chilean agriculture.

This ability to connect sector content, professional communities, institutional partners and event infrastructure is precisely one of the development levers enabled by this new organisation.

An integrated event ecosystem serving the Chilean marke

The closer coordination underway in Chile reflects, at local level, the principle of complementarity that underpins the GL events model. Organising events while operating the venues that host them makes it possible to align commercial strategy, sector expertise and operational control more effectively.

With Espacio Food & Service, Motortec Chile, ExpoCafé, ExpoSalud, Edifica, ExpoNaval, followed by Expomin and SeguridadExpo, this dynamic is gradually taking shape around a diversified portfolio of professional and public events.

The objective is not to standardise these events, but rather to give each one the means to strengthen its positioning, growth potential and the quality of the experience offered to exhibitors, visitors and partners.