Convention and Trade Show Management
Industry Profile Report
Dive Deep into the industry with a 25+ page industry report (pdf format) including the following chapters
Industry Overview Current Conditions, Industry Structure, How Firms Operate, Industry Trends, Credit Underwriting & Risks, and Industry Forecast.
Call Preparation Call Prep Questions, Industry Terms, and Weblinks.
Financial Insights Working Capital, Capital Financing, Business Valuation, and Financial Benchmarks.
Industry Profile Excerpts
Industry Overview
The 5,700 convention and trade show management services in the US charge fees to plan, organize, promote, and manage a variety of events, including business shows, trade shows, conventions, conferences, and meetings. General Service Contractors (GSC), which coordinate the set-up and tear-down of trade shows, generate the majority of revenue and profits from material handling fees charged to exhibitors.
Competition from Digital Communications
Conventions and trade shows compete with alternative and more flexible forms of communication, such as video conferences, webinars, and other digital vehicles.
Uneven Cash Flow
Demand for convention and trade show organization services varies throughout the year, and depends on the frequency, timing, and location of events.
Industry size & Structure
The average convention and trade show management services provider works out of a single location, employs fewer than 5 workers, and generates $3 million annually.
- The convention and trade show management services industry consists of about 5,700 firms that employ about 53,000 workers and generate about $17 billion annually.
- The industry is concentrated at the top and fragmented at the bottom; the top 50 companies account for about 48% of industry revenue.
- Large companies include Freeman and Viad Corporation. Large firms may have international operations.
Industry Forecast
Convention and Trade Show Management Industry Growth
Recent Developments
Nov 8, 2024 - Survey: Meeting Budgets to Rise in 2025
- Business-event planning professionals expect meetings budgets to increase in 2025, according to a recent forecast by Amex GBT Meetings & Events. About 70% of meetings professionals in North America expect spending on meetings to rise in 2025 – 63% think spending will increase, while 7% anticipate a significant increase in spending. The biggest challenges business-event professionals expect to face in 2025 include location availability (43% of respondents), cost (40%), and budget cuts (36%). More than two-thirds of respondents based in North America expect in-person events to be the dominant meeting format in 2025, although some may respond to inflationary or budgeting pressures by having more virtual meetings or changing the destination or lodging arrangements. Artificial intelligence (AI) and mobile apps are the top technology tools meetings pros plan to leverage in 2025, led by AI-powered matchmaking for attendees and sponsors (42% of respondents), content creation (41%), and generating creative themes (40%).
- In late September, event software firm CompuSystems took its systems offline in response to a cybersecurity incident, according to Meetingsnet.com. The service interruption affected registration activity for two major trade shows scheduled for November, including SEMA (the Special Equipment Marketing Association) and AAPEX (the Aftermarket Automotive Parts Exhibition), as well as the Performance Racing Industry (PRI) Show in December. CompuSystems said the cybersecurity incident affected a limited number of its systems but added that the firm took relevant systems offline to protect customer data. In response to the disruption, SEMA pushed back the date for a planned registration fee increase, and AAPEX also extended its discounted registration period. The incident briefly interrupted registration for the PRI show.
- The worldwide exhibitions industry is expected to post record revenue in 2024, according to the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry’s most recent Global Exhibition Barometer. On a global basis, exhibition industry revenue rose 20% in 2023, and by the end of that year, exhibition revenues exceeded pre-pandemic levels. Worldwide industry revenue is forecast to increase by 17% in 2024. About 45% of exhibition firms surveyed said they expect operating profits to increase by 10% or more in 2024, and 39% believe profits will remain stable. The global exhibition workforce is expected to grow in 2025 as 48% of firms surveyed said they planned to expand their staff in the next six months; another 48% reported their workforces will remain stable. Globally, only 4% of exhibition firms surveyed said they planned to reduce staff over the next six months.
- A recent survey of event attendees, organizers, and exhibitors by convention center management firm ASM Global sought to learn more about conference expectations and preferences among Millennial and Gen Z attendees. According to ASM Global, 42% of conference, meeting, and convention attendees are under 40, and 18% are under 25. The survey showed that many attendees want to stay connected to their businesses without leaving the event venue, and event management firms are increasingly providing quiet work areas where attendees can be productive while remaining at an event. Under-40 attendees also expect more immersive digital experiences – including social media – before and during events. In keeping with a growing trend spanning all age groups, 44% of Millennial and Gen Z attendees expect events to up their game on food and beverage offerings, including more health-conscious, locally sourced, dairy-free, gluten-free, vegan, and vegetarian options.
Get A Demo
Vertical IQ’s Industry Intelligence Platform
See for yourself why over 60,000 users trust Vertical IQ for their industry research and call preparation needs. Our easy-to-digest industry insights save call preparation time and help differentiate you from the competition.
Build valuable, lasting relationships by having smarter conversations -
check out Vertical IQ today.