The Asia-Pacific region is getting its own private aviation trade show with the launch of a Singapore-based event to be held for the first time from March 4 to 6, 2025. Experia Events announced plans for its Business Aviation Asia Forum and Expo (BAAFEx) this week, confirming it will be held in the Changi Exhibition Centre, where the company already hosts the Singapore Airshow.
Notably, the biennial BAAFEx event will be staged in alternative years to the Singapore Airshow, which is next due to convene in early February 2026. The Changi site, which immediately adjoins Singapore’s main airport, has space for an extensive static display of aircraft right next to the exhibit halls.
According to Leck Chet Lam, managing director of Experia Events, all the major business aircraft manufacturers have shown interest in exhibiting at BAAFEx. He told AIN that companies including aircraft management and charter group TAG Aviation, satellite communications provider Viasat, and risk management specialist MedAire have committed to participating in the first show.
Experia said it expects the new show to channel growing demand for business aircraft and their associated services in Asia-Pacific. According to Leck, the strongest demand is now coming from Southeast Asia, Japan, and India.
Market Growth in Southeast Asia and Beyond
Within Southeast Asia, Experia sees Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Thailand as the most established markets. Leck also pointed to Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia, which he said now have locally based aircraft.
The company noted Honeywell Aerospace’s most recent market forecast for the 2023 to 2033 period, which calls for 8,500 new business jets to be delivered. The forecast says 11% of these will go to customers in Asia, which currently accounts for just 7% of the global fleet.
Data released by the Asian Sky Group showed around 1,200 business aircraft based in Asia-Pacific countries at the end of 2023. On this basis, it is the third-largest business aircraft market after North America and Europe. WingX data showed that business aircraft departures from Singapore last year were 28% higher than in 2019.
“Beside the fact that this show is taking place in a sizable and fast-growing region for business aviation, the other value proposition is Singapore itself,” Leck said. “Singapore is a global business aviation hub and business center that is strategically located, well connected to the region and the world.”
Experia is aiming to attract a mix of industry professionals to attend BAAFEx, including aircraft owners and operators those directly involved in buying decisions. More specifically, it expects the show to draw visitors from China, which has previously been identified as an important target market for private aviation.
Chinese HNWIs Flock to Singapore
“We already have business owners and high-net-worth individuals from China visiting Singapore,” Leck said. “It is one of the exciting developments we have seen in Southeast Asia post-pandemic. Many businesses in China are expanding internationally by investing in countries in Southeast Asia, such as Singapore, Vietnam, and Thailand. Some have also set up regional headquarters here in Singapore.”
The industry has not had a dedicated trade show in the region since the last Asian Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition was held in Shanghai in 2019. The show’s lead organizer, the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA), had to cancel the 2020 event due to Covid restrictions and it has not been held since, amid questions about whether it will return to China. Ahead of next week’s NBAA-BACE show in Las Vegas, a spokesman for the U.S.-based organization said it is considering options for an event in Asia.
The Hong Kong-based Asian Business Aviation Association (AsBAA) is an official partner for BAAFEx. It is responsible for organizing the conference program for the event. AsBAA also was a co-organizer for ABACE.
“It has been some time since we’ve had an event focused specifically on business and general aviation, making this occasion particularly significant,” said AsBAA chairwoman Jenny Lau. “We anticipate that this expo will serve as an exceptional opportunity to unite our business aviation and general aviation community.”