The effects of the pandemic on trade fairs

One year after the impact of Covid-19 on global trade fairs, the trade fair industry may finally begin to see the light at the end of this dark tunnel, which is ultimately much longer than one might have thought predict.

There may have been some exhibitions in the world market, measured on the fingers of one hand. But these are the exception to the rule of cancellations, changes & transfers.

A series of exhibitions that were designed for the first and even the second quarter of 2021, have already changed of course or have been reshaped into digital…
But with infection rates declining and vaccinations accelerating everywhere, we seem to be closer than ever to a large-scale resumption of live trade fairs.

To determine the magnitude of the impact of COVID-19 on our industry and to begin recognizing when and how trade fairs and events will continue, we launched a survey of exhibitors, suppliers of products and services, and exhibitors. . The results show where the industry is at the moment and most likely the course it will follow in the near future in this evolving global crisis.
Summary.

The majority of exhibitors (70%) intend to resume participating in trade fairs that will take place after the end of the third quarter of this year. 80% of employees work in companies that are under a broad travel ban. 45% of the industry supports the practice of vaccination proof for participation in an exhibition. Eighty-five percent of Virtual or Digital event participants felt that these events generated far fewer sales than live events. While 10% stated that their participation had zero value for their companies.

More than 70% predicted an increase in the cost of attending exhibitions due to health costs that the pandemic would cause.

When asked how long it would take your company to come back if the pandemic ended today, the majority (65%) predicted 3 months & 20% predicted a period longer than 12 months.

80% stated that the postponements and cancellations of reports, made even more obvious the value of the report in the ranks of the senior management of the companies.

On the contrary, despite the fact that the majority wants to return to the exhibitions, only 40% seem to want to commit their participation in an exhibition for more than four months.

It is also gratifying that 74% intend to maintain the size of the participating kiosks by going smaller.

Only 25% state that they are ready to participate in Virtual Events.
The majority believe that the exhibition market will fully recover in the first and second quarters of 2022.

Adopting the view of the majority that the exhibition industry will recover is correct, what will the exhibitions be like in the post-COVID era?
Most exhibitors expect the long-term changes as a result of the pandemic to be the following:

• 84% New cleaning & disinfection measures
• 40% to organize more Virtual Events
• 30% to reduce the visitors of the exhibitions
• 50% reduction in staff at the exhibition stands.
• 20% reduction in participation in international exhibitions and increase in participation in national exhibitions.