• 2024 and 2025 revenues expected to grow by 16% and 18% on average globally year
on year respectively
• 46% of businesses plan to increase staff numbers in the coming 6 months
• Global economic developments, geopolitical challenges and sustainability / climate
are the most important mid-term business issues
• Complete report includes dedicated profiles for 19 markets and regions, showcasing
differences around the world
UFI, The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, has released the latest 34th edition of its flagship Global Exhibition Barometer report, which takes the pulse of the industry.
The results highlight that the exhibition industry will continue to grow revenues globally in 2024 and 2025 by a respective 16% and 18% year on year.
Globally, 46% of companies declare that they plan to increase their workforce in the coming 6 months, while another 51% declare that they will keep current staff numbers stable.
“Global economic developments” is the top mid-term issue with 20% of answers, followed by “Geopolitical challenges” and “Sustainability / Climate”, 15% each.
There is a clear consensus that the industry is using AI, with 92% of companies stating this. For the first time since this question was introduced a year ago, a majority of businesses state that they are already using this technology in “Sales, Marketing and Customer relations” functions, showing an unprecedented speed of adoption.
“UFI’s Barometer research has provided like-for-like benchmarking on key metrics for 18 years, and this new edition shows positive indicators for the year ahead across all markets, which is heartening to see. However, at the same time, it shows some uncertainty around economic environments and geopolitical challenges, demonstrating we operate in an ever-changing world,” comments Chris Skeith OBE, Managing Director and CEO at UFI.
