Gifts World Expo Bengaluru, which has launched its sixth session, returned to Tripura Vasini at Palace Grounds. The event is organized by MEX Exhibitions and Messe Frankfurt Asia Holdings. The exhibition covers a wide range of products—from festive gifts and home decor to corporate gifts and sustainable products.
Himani Gulati, Director of MEX, told YourStory that the three-day conference and exhibition brings together over 250 exhibitors, 1000 brands, and 8000 different products. Additionally, 75 new participants are involved in the event, showcasing new products, which forms a comprehensive procurement platform for the region.
Gulati emphasized that the gifting landscape in South India is transforming due to a dynamic business ecosystem, rich cultural heritage, and changing lifestyles. She specified that in addition to events in Mumbai, New Delhi, and Kolkata, the Bengaluru exhibition is specifically targeted at the southern region.
This demand is stimulated by strong markets in the corporate, retail, hospitality, and real estate sectors, as well as diverse cultural and festive traditions. Bengaluru has become a strategic trade hub for the region, connecting brands with distributors, wholesalers, and retailers.
Another significant element is the Startup and Innovation Hub. As Gulati explained, this section showcases new enterprises and innovative products, allowing them to interact with potential buyers, distributors, and industry leaders. She noted that this hub was first launched at the flagship exhibition in Delhi, and subsequently appeared in Mumbai and Bengaluru.
This provides early-stage startups, which lack other platforms to showcase their work or connect with buyers, with such support. Gulati observed that a startup can participate only once in each of the four city exhibitions, and many have significantly increased the size of their booths, for example, from nine square meters to twenty-seven square meters.
The next dates for the exhibition are scheduled for 2027: Mumbai (February 25-27), Kolkata (April 2-4), and New Delhi (July 29-31).
Among the exhibitors in Bengaluru were Thenga, House of Gulab, ArdPure, Tasvii, Care of Calcutta, Loyka, Eha Sustainable Gifting, Aureco, Alix3D, Pot&Bloom, Eshwar Packaging, and Xech.
Over more than two decades, Gifts World Expo has evolved into a leading B2B platform for the gifting and promotional products ecosystem, growing from a small display of about 30 exhibitors to a large national trade venue.
Due to this broad reach, the event goes beyond a simple product exhibition; it functions as a platform for sourcing, discovering, and developing businesses. It allows buyers and budding entrepreneurs to effectively compare suppliers, find new products, and establish partnerships.
The exhibition is useful for lead generation, trend spotting, and gaining industry insights. By connecting supply and demand in the fragmented gifting ecosystem, it gives brands direct access to serious buyers while helping businesses scale up procurement.
Furthermore, the exhibition serves as a launchpad for new solutions in design and technology within the gifting sector. This supports the industry's transition from standard goods to personalized experiences and enhances brand relevance.
Corporate gifts have become an important tool for employee engagement, client relationship building, brand formation, and promotional campaigns. Decision-makers from sectors such as banking, retail, FMCG, pharmaceuticals, hospitality, and automotive industries gather at the exhibition.
Seminars, training sessions, product demonstrations, and innovation-focused zones introduce buyers to new consumer preferences and business opportunities. This helps the industry respond faster to changing expectations regarding design, sustainability, technology, and customization.
Raj Manek, CEO of Messe Frankfurt Asia Holdings, concluded that Gifts World Expo Bengaluru provides the ecosystem with a gathering place, allowing brands and buyers to identify emerging opportunities and shape the next phase of the gifting industry's development in the region.