September 2007
Marketwatch: International exhibitors
Nearly one-third of shows expect revenue from international exhibitors to increase next year
By Danica Tormohlen
Not only do show organizers expect international attendance to increase this year (see Marketwatch: International attendance, EXPO, July/August 2007), but also nearly one-third (32 percent) of show organizers expect revenue from international exhibitors to increase from 2007 to 2008, according to the 107 show organizers who responded to an online survey conducted by EXPO Magazine and Exhibit Surveys Inc. in June 2007. Of shows predicting revenue growth, the average increase is expected to be 15 percent. Sixty-seven percent of shows expect revenue from international exhibitors to be flat, and only 1 percent expect a decline.
Shows generate an average of 10 percent of their total revenues from international exhibitors. From 2006 to 2007, 23 percent of shows report that revenue from international exhibitors increased while 73 percent say it stayed the same and only 4 percent reported a decline. The average increase was 20 percent.
But there’s plenty of room for growth when it comes to attracting international exhibitors. Half of shows report international exhibitors make up 5 percent or less of total exhibitors, while 31 percent of shows report international exhibitors make up 6 to 10 percent and 19 percent of shows say it makes up 11 percent or more.
U.S. shows attract more international exhibitors from Europe than from any other continent. Sixty-four percent of U.S. shows have exhibitors from Europe, 54 percent have exhibitors from North America (outside the U.S.), 53 percent have exhibitors from Asia, 20 percent have exhibitors from South America, 9 percent have exhibitors from Australia, and 8 percent have exhibitors from Africa.
 
Danica Tormohlen is Editor of EXPO. She can be reached at 913-344-1303 or e-mail: dtormohlen@ascendmedia.com.
Exclusive Web-only content from this survey
Verbatim responses from respondents on their biggest challenge attracting international exhibitors
Bandwidth and money to pursue aggressively
Brokers
Communication issues
Competition from other shows
Cost of exhibiting
Cost of sale
Cost of shipping, customs
Cost of travel
Decorator costs & labor unions
Dollar exchange
Ensure that the North American market remains a viable market for their products
Finding the correct contact and learning whether or not he/she has a US counterpart to work with
Freight issues
Getting their government approval
Getting them organized during build-up
Identifying companies and reaching them
International companies that do not already have a US or Canadian presence have difficulty entering the market.
Language barriers
Logistics challenges
Making sure their product has the required FDA approval to exhibit at our meeting Market research and data on prospects
Not enough space for them
Our exhibitors must be very familiar with the Canadian market and while some of them are part of an international company - only their Canadian offices can offer dependable services to the Canadian government which is the market served
Political affairs
Pricing (exchange rate fluctuations).
Promotion
Promotional budgets
Shipping product to/from show
Shipping/delivery of product purchased at the show
Sponsored pavilions
Travel costs if they do not have a regional office to draw resources and exhibit materials from near the event
Travel difficulty
Visa challenges
U.S. trade show rules
Profile of survey responses
Organization Type
Trade association/society/not-for-profit -- 55%
Independent/For-profit convention/trade show/meeting owner/producer/planner -- 38%
Corporate event management -- 7%
Event Type Produced
Trade only -- 79%
Consumer show -- 0%
Trade and consumer show -- 21%
Required Exhibit Space (Sq. Ft.)
Less than 25,000 -- 5%
25,001 to 50,000 -- 15%
50,001 to 100,000 -- 13%
100,001 to 250,000 -- 26%
250,001 to 500,000 -- 21%
More than 500,000 -- 20%
Total Gross Revenue
$500,000 or less -- 15%
$500,001 - $1,000,000 -- 18%
$1,000,001 - $2,000,000 -- 8%
$2,000,001 - $3,000,000 -- 14%
$3,000,001 - $5,000,000 -- 11%
More than $5,000,000 -- 35%
Number of Attendees
Average: 13,150 |
