Manchester Shows up in Style for CHS Debut

26th October 26, Manchester, UK: Organisers of the inaugural CHS Manchester have praised the warmth and collaborative approach. With the show’s host city, exhibitors, and visitors all contributing to a debut that far exceeded expectations, and as the events industry came together at the AO Arena for a packed show, surrounded by a city-wide welcome.

From the Manchester Calling welcome at Manchester Central, to the city-wide fringe programme and onto the exhibition floor, the ambition of the event was bought to life last month as Manchester embraced the opportunity to host the CHS community.

“CHS Manchester completely blew away our expectations,” commented Emma King, Founder and CEO of CHS Manchester. “The combination of an incredible Hosted Buyer programme, a genuinely interesting and insightful education programme, and the support we received from across Manchester created a busy, productive and energetic show.”

With the show bringing together both CHS’s Leeds and Birmingham communities in a new Manchester supershow, exhibitor numbers rose to 52% higher than Leeds 2025 and 43% higher than Birmingham 2025, while the hosted buyer programme more than doubled compared with previous editions.

That meant more buyers experiencing Manchester through its venues, people and hospitality, alongside a broader collection of exhibiting products, goods and services. At the same time, the fringe programme and welcome reception gave the community time to get to know the city and each other, bringing conversations and connections into the show before appointments had begun.

“The success of CHS Manchester is also testament to the city and its growing profile as one of the country’s most exciting business events destinations,” continued Emma. “Marketing Manchester has been by our side throughout, while the AO Arena provided a dramatic and exciting backdrop that gave the show a real sense of occasion.

“We couldn’t be more delighted with how it went. The buyers we hosted loved the opportunity to connect with brilliant people and businesses, and there was a fantastic energy throughout the event. It was a great occasion for CHS and for Manchester. Roll on 2027.”