UFI Global Exhibition
30th Edition
Report based on the results of a survey
Barometerconcluded in January 2023
GlobalIndia
Southern Africa Japan
United Kingdom Macau
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SpainMACEOSMalaysia
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Peru Saudi Arabia
Central & Singapore
South America
South Korea US
MexicoGreece
Argentina Thailand
Indonesia Brazil
Australia FranceUFI Research: An Overview
Global RegionalTopical
ReportsReports Reports
Analysing the global exhibition industry with Regular market overviews on UFI‘s chapter Focused reports on challenges and
global comparisons.regions.developments within the exhibition industry.
Global Barometer – Bi-annual report onEuro Fair Statistics – Annual list of certified Global Visitor Insights & Global Exhibitor
industry developments. data for Europe by country.Insights – Data driven research reports on
visitor feedback and exhibitor expectations.
World Map of Venues – Report on trendsThe Trade Fair Industry in Asia – Annual
in venue space and project developments analysis of market developments for Asia/ Best Practices Compendiums – Case studies
globally. Pacific by country. of successful industry developments.
Economic Impact Study – Report on theThe Exhibition Industry in MEA –Special Industry Topics – A wide ranging
value of exhibitions globally and regionally. Overview of the exhibition market in the selection of bespoke reports into specific
MEA region. industry topics.
United Nations Sustainable Development
Goals – Report on the economic, socialThe Exhibition Industry in Latin America
& environmental impacts of a number of– The first comprehensive overview by UFI
exhibition industry projects. of the exhibition industry Latin America.
UFI Research Patron:
The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) is charged with marketing Southern Nevada as the premier tourism
and convention destination worldwide.
For a record 26 consecutive years, Las Vegas has been named the No. 1 trade show destination in North America by Trade
Show News Network. In 2019, Las Vegas hosted more than 22,000 meetings, conventions and incentive programs, ranging in
size from 10 to more than 150,000 attendees. Also known as the Greatest Arena on Earth, Las Vegas has evolved tremendously
in recent years and continues to capture the world’s imagination, because what happens in Vegas, only happens in Vegas. UFI Research is available at
ufi/research
30th UFI Global Exhibition Barometer / January 2023 (c)2Contents
Introduction 4
Results globally
Operations 5
Turnover – Operating profits 8
Public Financial Support10
Most Important Business Issues 12
Format of Exhibitions in the Coming Years 16
Regional and details results for selected markets
North America – Mexico and US 19
Central & South America – Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Colombia 38
Europe – France, Germany, Greece Italy, Spain, Turkey and United Kingdom67
Middle East & Africa – Saudi Arabia, UAE and South Africa 111
Asia-Pacific – Australia, China, India, Malaysia and Thailand 135
Conclusion 169
Answers per country/region171
30th UFI Global Exhibition Barometer / January 2023 (c) 3 Introduction
Welcome to the 30th edition of the “UFI Global Exhibition Barometer” Australasia) in Australasia, IECA/ASPERAPI (Indonesia Exhibition
survey. This study is based on a global survey that was conducted in Companies Association) in Indonesia, IEIA (Indian Exhibition
December 2022. It represents up-to-date information on the status Industry Association) in India, JEXA (Japan Exhibition Association)
and outlook of the global exhibition industry as well as on 21 specific in Japan, MFTA (Macau Fair & Trade Association) in Macau,
markets and regions.MACEOS (Malaysian Association of Convention and Exhibition
Organisers and Suppliers) in Malaysia, SCEGA (Saudi Conventions
The first edition of the UFI Global Exhibition Barometer was launched & Exhibitions General Authority) in Saudi Arabia, SECB (Singapore
as a response to the 2008 global financial crisis, and this latest Exhibition & Convention Bureau) in Singapore, SISO (Society of
edition builds on those released over the past 2 years to create Independent Show Organizers) for the US, SOKEE (Greek Exhibition
an overall assessment of the impact of another global crisis – the Industry Association) in Greece, TEA (Thai Exhibition Association)
COVID-19 pandemic – on the exhibition industry, as well as providing in Thailand, UBRAFE (Uni~ao Brasileira dos Promotores Feiras) in
projections for the future.Brazil and UNIMEV (French Meeting Industry Council) in France.
The Barometer has a truly global reach, with 367 companies Important remarks
participating from 56 countries and regions.
o The number of replies to the current survey (367 total from 56
We wish to thank the following associations, whose participation countries and regions - see the full list at the end of the
made this global collaboration possible: AAXO (The Association ofdocument) provides representative results. However, the
African Exhibition Organizers) and EXSA (Exhibition and Events consolidated regional results may not reflect the situation of
Association of Southern Africa) in South Africa, AEO (Association of specific countries in that region. This is why the report also
Event Organisers) in the UK, AFE (Spanish Trade Fairs Association)includes a set of detailed results for the 21 markets where a
in Spain, AFEP (Asociacion de Ferias del Peru) in Peru, AFIDA significant number of answers were obtained.
(Asociación Internacional de Ferias de América) in Central &
South America, AKEI (The Association of Korean Exhibitiono Due to decimal rounding, the percentage values indicated in
Industry) in South Korea, AMPROFEC (Asociación Mexicana de some charts may not exactly sum up to 100%. This applies in
Profesionales de Ferias y Exposiciones y Convenciones) in Mexico,particular to the charts related to public financial support.
AOCA (Asociación Argentina de Organizadores y Proveedores de
Exposiciones, Congresos, Eventos y de Burós de Convenciones) Questions related to this survey can be sent to research@ufi
in Argentina, EEAA (The Exhibition and Event Association of This research is available online at ufi/research
30th30th UFI UFI Global Global Exhibition Exhibition Barometer Barometer / /January January 2023 2023 (c) (c)44Operations
World
The 30th Barometer surveyed participants’ monthly operations starting from o Detailed results indicate that several markets are also largely impacted
July 2022, qualifying their level of activity as “normal”, “reduced” or “no by travel restrictions [that apply to foreign visitors] or public policies that
activity”. It also gauged their predicted level of activity for the period up until apply locally to exhibitions: 74% of respondents in China, 62% in
June 2023. Germany and 38% in the US.
Companies were also asked what the overall status of operations in o One in five companies globally say that no specific measures are
their cities was and what specific measures they considered to be most needed, but the proportion varies from none in several markets
important for the full recovery of exhibitions. (Argentina, Chile, China and Mexico) to one company in two or more in
the UK (50%), France (53%) and the UAE (58%).
The level of operations continues to improve globally: the proportion of
companies declaring a “normal activity” gradually increased between Exhibition organizers participating in this edition of the Barometer were also
January and December 2022 from 30% to 72% and it is expected to reachasked to evaluate the “hosted buyers” packages, whereby the organiser
80% in June 2023. The highest levels of “normal