Research
Deep impact
Exhibitions contribute the equivalent economically as the 56th largest economy in the world,
that is US$198bn to global GDP, according to a new UFI report
xhibitions had a total
output of US$325bn
in annual business
sales during 2018, and
contributed US$198bn to global GDP,
according to UFI’s recently published
report, The Global Economic Impact of
Exhibitions.
The global association of the
exhibitions industry produced
the new study alongside Oxford
Economics and with the support of
SISO (Society of Independent Show
Organisers).
The report findings reveal that
exhibitions rank equivalent to the
56th largest economy in the world
in terms of economic power, larger
than many whole countries including
Hungary, Sri Lanka and Ecuador.
The report also shows that
exhibitions saw 303m direct visitors
across 180 countries and 32,000
shows in 2018.
In addition, the industry supported
3.1m jobs worldwide.
Europe was the largest market in
terms of visitors, welcoming 112m in
2018. This represents 37% of global
exhibition visitors in 2018. North
America ranked second, with 91m
visitors, followed by the Asia-Pacific
with nearly 82m.
UFI President Craig Newman
described the report as “a first for our
industry”.
“This new data will support us
when we talk to stakeholders about
our industry,” Newman added,
“especially as it’s broken down into
the direct, measurable economic
impact per exhibiting company –
right down to the economic value of
every single square metre of venue
exhibition space.”
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Issue 3 2019
The total impact of US$198bn
in global GDP includes the direct
spending and jobs that are
specifically involved in planning
and producing exhibitions, and
for participants and exhibitors to
travel to exhibitions, as well as other
exhibition-related spending.
Following the ISO definitions, an
exhibition, show or fair is defined as
an event where products, services
or information are displayed and
disseminated. Exhibitions differ from
conferences, conventions, seminars
or other business and consumer
events, and exclude flea markets and
street markets.
Kai Hattendorf, UFI Managing
Director and CEO, says: “We are
happy to be able to provide this
new set of data which highlights the
impact of the exhibition industry.
The methodology can be used at
national level wherever needed, and
we hope that it will contribute to
consistent data across the world for
this important element of economic
impact.”
The report also includes regional
data for Africa, the Asia-Pacific,
Central and South America, Europe,
the Middle East and North America.
In terms of total GDP, North
America ranked first with over
$92.3bn of total GDP attributable to
the exhibitions sector. This accounts
for nearly 47% of the sector’s global
impact. Europe followed with
$57.3bn of total GDP, representing
29% of the sector’s global impact.
Overall, exhibitions globally
generated $71,700 of total sales per
exhibiting company.
As with every piece of global
UFI research, such as the Global
Barometer or the World Map of
Venues, this study on economic
impact allows country and market
profiles to be added, using the same
metrics.
UFI members can have specific
profiles for their home markets
added to the report.
Kai Hattendorf, adds: “The
methodology can be used at
national level wherever needed,
and we hope that it will contribute
to consistent data across the world
for this important element of
economic impact.”
David Audrain,
SISO Executive
Director, added:
“SISO is very
pleased to have
partnered with
UFI in funding
the production
of this report.
Having reliable
statistics is key
to measuring
the growth and
impact of the
industry. We hope
that organisers
from around
the world will
use this data to
showcase the
value of this
industry to their
stakeholders and
governments.”
The new research
is also timed to
provide data
during the
run-up to Global
Exhibitions Day
2019 on 5 June.
The full report
can be viewed
at: https://www.
ufi.org/industry-
resources/
surveys-and-
studies
w w w.exhibitionworld.co.uk