3,000 people surveyed on the added value of trade fairs
Study shows importance of the trade fair industry and potential for sustainability goals
Majority of business contacts not possible in the same quality digitally
Berlin, 11 November 2024 | Trade fairs contribute to climate protection and sustainability by efficiently bundling personal contacts and thus avoiding further travel. This is a key finding of the recently published study "Added value of trade fair visits: How individual journeys are avoided". The study was conducted in the first half of 2024 by the Institute for Sustainable Tourism at Harz University of Applied Sciences on behalf of the Association of the German Trade Fair Industry AUMA.
Specifically, the first and most comprehensive survey of its kind with almost 3,000 participants proves the high efficiency of trade fair visits. The study shows that on average more than five separate trips are avoided per visitor per day - ranging from at least three to almost 14 avoided trips depending on the trade fair. On average, the respondents had more than 13 business contacts per day - and more than a third of these contacts would have led to additional trips without the trade fair visit.
- Jörn Holtmeier, Managing Director of the Association of the German Trade Fair Industry AUMA: "This study not only shows that trade fairs are important meeting places for people, hubs for ideas and showcases for problem-solving. The study also shows that trade fairs as industry get-togethers avoid further business trips. The results emphasise the added value of trade fair visits, which cannot be replaced digitally. It provides important insights to better categorise the importance of business trips in the trade fair industry for efficient, sustainable travel. At the same time, the results show potential for trade fair planning and ecological travel logistics. These are important findings for our industry's goal of creating offers for low-emission or carbon-neutral travel to our events, as we have set out in our industry position on sustainability."
The study shows in detail: International visitors to trade fairs in Germany avoid an average of seven extra journeys, while guests from Germany save just under four more journeys by attending the right trade fair. Air travellers in particular plan their trade fair visits highly efficiently: they have more business contacts (just under 18) and avoid more trips (just under eight) than car users (over 12 contacts, just under five avoided trips). Guests from South and Central America and the Near and Middle East avoid travelling the most on average (almost 12/more than eleven), which illustrates the global reach and efficiency of trade fairs.
In terms of the type of discussions, informal meetings for business initiation (around 42 per cent) and networking (40 per cent) are in first place, followed by product discussions (around 36 per cent) and contract negotiations (around 20 per cent). The study results show a higher number of purchasing meetings among international visitors than among domestic visitors (just under 32 per cent/over 12 per cent), which demonstrates the importance of trade fairs for international business transactions.
It is also interesting to note that more than 60 per cent of business contacts could not have taken place in the same quality digitally, according to the respondents. This emphasises the high value of personal encounters at trade fairs and the importance of direct exchange in business life.
The study also sheds light on the scheduling and travel habits of trade fair visitors: 45 per cent of respondents plan further appointments in connection with their trade fair visit, which further increases the efficiency of the trip. Significantly more than a quarter of visitors (28 per cent) combined their trade fair visit with additional business appointments, while a further 17 per cent combined their business trip with a private stay.
The majority of respondents (56 per cent) stated that they personally take ecological factors into account when planning their trade fair trip. At company level, as many as 60 per cent take ecological aspects into account. This shows a clear awareness of sustainability when travelling to trade fairs on business.
The 70 or so trade fair centres between the North Sea and Lake Constance organise an average of 330 trade fairs per year. This density makes the trade fair country unique. Trade fairs in Germany are also special in terms of their high level of internationality: in 2023 alone, almost two thirds of exhibiting companies and one third of trade visitors came from abroad. These events in Germany play a central role in global economic life - they are the leading trade fairs of the global economy.
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