ITE Group plc, the international exhibitions group specialising in emerging and developing markets, has issued the following trading update ahead of the Company’s Annual General Meeting today.

Current sales and the trading outlook are in line with the Group’s expectations and the comments made at the time of the preliminary results in December 2006. The principal events that have taken place this year have performed well:

• The Kazakhstan International Oil and Gas Exhibition and Conference took place in October 2006. The exhibition benefited by growing into the new pavilion constructed in 2006, with space sales of 9,600m2 (October 2005: 7,900m2). Revenues earned from the conference increased by circa 10% over the previous event.

• Ingredients Russia was organised in December, and having changed venues, recorded a 12% growth in space sales to 6,300m2 (November 2005: 5,600m2).

• The MODA Fashion and Footwear exhibitions took place at the NEC, Birmingham earlier this week. Space sales were 18,200m2 (2006: 17,800m2).

Other notable Moscow events included an initial contribution from Expoclean, which was acquired in June last year and excellent growth from Pharmtech in December following the decision to re-locate to a new venue. There were strong performances throughout the CIS region with Public Health (Ukraine), World Food Kazakhstan and Baku Build (Azerbaijan) being particularly noteworthy. Kiev AgriHort demonstrated continued strong growth, utilising the newly constructed third pavilion at the IEC venue in Kyiv.  

ITE has recently provided a new advance of $2m to facilitate the construction of another pavilion at the Atakent venue in Almaty, Kazakhstan. ITE’s exhibition business in Kazakhstan is experiencing good demand and the additional space is expected to facilitate further growth.

We announced at the time of our preliminary results in December that Ian Tomkins had advised the Board that he wished to relinquish his role as Chief Executive by the end of 2007.  The Nomination Committee has initiated a search for his successor.
  
Forward sales for events in the 2007 financial year continue to enjoy growth in excess of 10% on a comparable basis to last year and the Board remains confident of the prospects for 2007. 

Ends

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