The exhibitions industry is booming in the UK, now generating a hefty £10.9bn for the economy, as reported by the Events Industry Alliance (EIA). This impressive figure marks a £1.5bn increase from their previous study, largely thanks to a 12% rise in the number of shows held in 2023. Last year, there were 1,016 exhibitions in the UK, attracting 6.92 million attendees – a 14% boost.
After considering indirect and induced impacts, UK exhibitions contributed £5.5bn to the total GDP, up by £0.9bn from the previous year. Marija Erzen, the chair of ESSA and EIA, highlighted that this 17% growth between 2022 and 2023 shows the industry’s strength and resilience, even in tough economic times, with minimal government support. She pointed out that these figures are close to pre-pandemic levels, underscoring the potential and importance of the events industry.
This latest report, the fifth since its inception in 2005 by KPMG and later updated by Oxford Economics, continues to use refined methodologies and integrates data from the EIA’s Size and Scale Index of Events (SASIE) report since 2019.
The study also revealed that in 2023, UK exhibitions generated about £37,000 in direct spending per exhibitor. With 0.60 million sqm of venue capacity, the direct spending per sqm was around £7,957. Rachel Parker, director of AEV and EIA, noted that this positive growth impacts other areas of the economy, highlighting the wide-reaching influence of exhibitions.
