Events industry recovery and evolution
The global events sector has broadly recovered since 2019, with visitor, exhibitor and net‑space volumes now at or above pre‑COVID levels. Growth, however, is not uniform: the US and Europe have largely returned to pre‑COVID levels, while the strongest expansion has come from Asia and the Middle East.
Exhibitor behaviour has also shifted. While exhibitor spend is ahead of 2019 levels in nominal terms, average footprint per exhibitor remains below it, reflecting more selective event participation and a clearer focus on ROI.
M&A‑focused organisers have seen the fastest revenue growth, while venue‑organisers and more selective acquirers are broadly ahead of 2019 levels. Operators are deploying different event models successfully: many of the largest, market‑leading events continue to perform well, while a growing segment of content‑led organisers is gaining share by building deeper content, structured buyer access, year‑round engagement platforms and tactical bolt‑ons.
These dynamics frame how organisers think about growth, investment and where to focus commercial effort.
The exhibitions industry has recovered from a difficult COVID period
Visitor and exhibitor volumes have broadly returned to or exceeded 2019 levels, but the recovery varies meaningfully by region. Asia and the Middle East are driving incremental growth and now sit materially above pre‑COVID levels, while North America and Europe have largely stabilised. There is also variation by sector, with technology‑adjacent categories generally benefiting from stronger underlying momentum.
Market growth will continue to shape where organisers focus investment and commercial effort.
Source: UFI Global Economic Impact Statistics.
Exhibitor behaviour has evolved
Exhibitor spend has increased since 2019, largely in line with inflation, while average footprint per exhibitor has reduced slightly. This coincides with more selective participation and a clearer focus on measurable ROI. At the same time, organisers and exhibitors are placing greater emphasis on “experiences” as a way of increasing engagement, alongside hosted‑buyer and one‑to‑one formats to support direct trading and deal‑making.
These shifts are influencing how organisers evolve event formats and the use of space as well as refine the broader proposition for participants.
Source: UFI Channel Report.
Source: UFI Global Economic Impact Statistics.
Expo operator revenues have bounced back
Revenues for leading organisers have recovered strongly, with M&A‑focused groups showing the fastest growth.
Organisers with selective or limited M&A activity have recovered at a similar pace to venue‑organisers, reflecting steadier underlying portfolios and less inorganic uplift.
The market remains relatively fragmented
Despite the scale of the largest organisers, the market remains structurally fragmented across sectors and geographies. Trade associations continue to account for a significant share of exhibition revenues, and independents and smaller venues operate a large number of events.
For large organisers, growth can come through acquisitions of independents or, in some cases, association events. However, in an association-led market segment, organisers can also pursue alternative approaches such as commercial partnerships, content partnerships or joint ventures.
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