“It’s about meeting the needs of the industry in an even more targeted way”

InterTabac and InterSupply: Interview with Sabine Loos at the end of the year.

The (trade fair) year is drawing to a close. Time to look back on 2025 and take a look at the coming year. The 45th edition of InterTabac was a resounding success. In this interview, Sabine Loos, Managing Director of the Westfalenhallen Group, looks back on this year’s trade show and reveals what’s in store for 2026.

Dortmund, 04 December 2025 – Mrs. Loos, this year InterTabac filled the Dortmund exhibition halls with trade visitors from all over the world for the 45th time. Was this a special edition for you?
Sabine Loos: “InterTabac is always special. It is our largest trade show here at the venue, the world’s leading trade fair for this diverse industry. It fills all our halls and passageways. Exhibitors and visitors come to us from all over the world. When you walk through the halls during this event, you immediately sense the unique atmosphere: you hear all languages and concentrated conversations at a high level everywhere, and you see great joy when exhibitors finally welcome their customers in person again. All of this is what makes a trade fair special. I am very proud that we have been able to offer the tobacco and nicotine industry an important platform for the 45th time this year. We have received countless congratulations on this, as well as on the 100th anniversary of our company. This appreciation gives us a lot of motivation.”

This year, some trade visitors and exhibitors from the cigar segment started the trade show one day earlier. The Cigar Culture Summit celebrated its premiere on the day before the event. Was it a successful premiere?
Sabine Loos: “Definitely! We have now evaluated the event not only with our partner The Cigar Academy, but also with exhibitors, speakers, and participants. We received incredibly positive feedback. Around 250 participants – that’s a great success for such a premiere. It was important for us to work with strong partners to create an event that offers participants from the cigar industry space for intensive exchange and networking. The strong participation and commitment of the industry have shown us that there is a need for an event like that. Based on the valuable feedback we received from participants, we are already working on the Cigar Culture Summit for next year. It’s about meeting the needs of the industry in an even more targeted way and establishing the summit as an integral part of the trade fair.”

So we can expect the Cigar Culture Summit to continue in 2026? And what about other side events such as PouchXchange or the Alternative Awards?
Sabine Loos: “Planning for InterTabac 2026 is still in its early stages, but I will reveal one thing: not only will the Cigar Culture Summit continue, but so will PouchXchange and the InterTabac World Alternative Awards, which are both already entering their third round. PouchXchange in particular has now established itself as a well-attended event for visitors and exhibitors alike. Our goal is to enable participants to network even better and establish new business relationships. In 2026, participants can also look forward to new highlights—for example, a fresh look for the popular Get Together Event.”

>>> See videos of the events if you click on the links above or on InterTabac’s social media channels.

Many visitors to this year’s trade show will have noticed the advertising spaces featuring the word “NUBIZ.” What exactly is this all about? Has InterTabac gained a new exhibition area?
Sabine Loos: “Yes, it has! NUBIZ is our new exhibition area, which we introduced at the 45th edition. InterTabac is the leading trade show for the tobacco and nicotine industry worldwide, representing all segments of this industry – from classic to new generation products. Since its inception in the late 1970s, we have continuously advanced InterTabac – because the trade show is just as dynamic as the industry it represents. The NUBIZ brand is part of our strategy to reflect the growing importance of NGPs (Next Generation Products) while at the same time strengthening the position of InterTabac’s important core segment – the classic tobacco segment. It will help to address the various target groups – from manufacturers to retailers – in an even more focused manner and offer them additional guidance. The NUBIZ areas will be visible for the first time at the upcoming trade show.”

With all the success you have achieved with InterTabac, where do you see the challenges for this industry platform in the coming years?
Sabine Loos: “I will have to answer this question from two perspectives. As trade fair organizers, we have to deal with economic realities – rising energy costs, sustainability matters, and the shortage of qualified workers are just a few of the issues we are concerned with. And as organizers of a trade show for the tobacco and nicotine industry, we do of course keep a close eye on political developments that specifically affect this industry. The increasingly strict regulations pose a major challenge for many companies, especially those that are active in multiple markets. Our task will continue to be not only to provide companies with a platform for exchange, but also to create a knowledge forum where the latest developments and scientific findings are presented. This will continue to make InterTabac an indispensable platform for all industry players in the future.”

 

EXHIBITIONS AT A GLANCE

INTERTABAC – THE WORLD’S LARGEST TRADE FAIR FOR TOBACCO PRODUCTS AND SMOKING ACCESSORIES InterTabac, the world’s largest trade fair for tobacco products and smoking accessories, is where trade visitors meet top decision-makers from the retail, manufacturing and service sectors. The quality and international credentials of visitors is a hallmark of the world’s leading event for the tobacco industry – with over 40% of visitors coming from abroad. International market leaders and industry representatives from the fields of cigars, cigarillos, cigarettes, pipes and smokers’ requisites, cigarette and pipe tobacco, RYO and MYO, fine cut and leaf, shop fittings, press and IT, point-of-sale systems, vending machines, water pipes and accessories, electronic cigarettes and next generation products will be represented. The subject-matter leadership of InterTabac as a leading global trade fair has been enhanced further with presentations on current issues and challenges facing the industry as part of the newly developed, innovative InterTabac supporting programme. INTERSUPPLY – INTERNATIONAL TRADE FAIR FOR THE PRODUCTION OF TOBACCO GOODS, E-CIGARETTES, PIPES AND SHISHAS The international trade show InterSupply sees market leaders and industry representatives from all over the world presenting their innovations in Dortmund each year. InterSupply covers all aspects of the manufacturing processes behind tobacco products, e-cigarettes, pipes and hookahs. The product and range segment offers top decision-makers, trade visitors and employees in the tobacco industry a complete overview. InterSupply, which is held in tandem with the renowned InterTabac show, is therefore ideal for networking with regular customers, generating leads and acquiring new customers. NUBIZ – INTERNATIONAL TRADE FAIR FOR THE NEXT GENERATION OF SMOKE-FREE SUBSTITUTES, PRODUCTS, HEATED TOBACCO, VAPES AND ORAL PRODUCTS NUBIZ is the new brand that, at Messe Dortmund, will be showcasing the next generation of products parallel to InterTabac – from smoke-free alternatives to heated tobacco and e-vapes to oral products. The world of next-generation products has become increasingly large and diverse in recent years. NUBIZ now offers trade visitors and exhibitors guidance in this growing market.

DATE: 18 to 20 September 2025 EVENT ORGANISER: Messe Dortmund GmbH EXHIBITORS: More than 800 exhibitors from nearly 70 countries VISITORS:  14.500 visitors PARTNERS: North Rhine Westphalia Retailers‘ Association, State Tobacco Association (conceptual sponsor) German Federal Association of Tobacco Retailers (BTWE) German Association of the Tobacco Industry and Next-Generation Products (BVTE) German Cigar Industry Association (BdZ) German Smoking Tobacco Industry Association (VdR)

German Smoking Tobacco Industry Association (VdR) German Shisha Tobacco Association Independent European Vape Alliance (IEVA) Alliance for Tobacco-Free Enjoyment (BfTG) German E-Cigarette Retailers‘ Association (VdeH) Cigar Association of America (CAA) ProCigar – Association of Dominican Cigar Manufacturers International Tobacco Growers´ Association (ITGA) European Confederation of Tobacco Retailers (C.E.D.T.) OctoberMultimedia And many more: Overview