Value of Trade Shows

1. The B2B trade show market value is estimated to be around $15.8 billion in 2024, finally surpassing 2019’s pre-pandemic value. This figure is expected to continue rising, with experts predicting it may exceed $17.3 billion by 2028. ^[1]
2. Around 32,000 exhibitions took place worldwide, directly involving 303 million visitors and nearly 5 million exhibitors, according to a 2018 survey conducted by the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry. ^[2]

Why Brands Attend Trade Shows

3. Exhibitors mainly participate in trade shows to sell products and services to a target audience. ^[2]
4. In addition to selling and demonstrating products and services to customers, exhibitors also attend trade shows for non-sales reasons. These include building a stronger brand image, monitoring competitors, and identifying new market trends. ^[2]
5. Fifty-two percent of business leaders said trade shows and events deliver the greatest return on investment than any other marketing approach. ^[3]
6. Around 14% of Fortune 500 companies reported a 5:1 ROI from participating in trade shows, earning $5 for every $1 spent. ^[4]
7. For exhibitors who put in the effort and perform an effective follow-up strategy, trade show leads have a conversion rate of 5-10%. ^[5]
8. Converting a trade show lead is 38% more cost-effective than depending only on sales calls. ^[5]
9. On average, the cost for meeting a new prospect at a trade show is $142 per meeting, compared to more than $250 spent when meeting a prospect face-to-face at their office. ^[6]
10. Trade shows offer an opportunity for staff to gain sales skills, with 68% of respondents mentioning this benefit. ^[7]
11. Fifty-eight percent of regular exhibitors said their team gained additional product knowledge at trade shows. ^[7]
12. Since trade shows typically invite experts to hold seminars and workshops, 54% of exhibitors said their team gained industry knowledge from these events. ^[7]
13. Half of respondents said trade shows can promote positive work relationships. ^[7]
14. Around 71% of exhibitors are satisfied with trade shows as marketing channels. ^[8]
15. Sixty-seven percent are satisfied with these events as a sales channel. ^[8]

Latest Trade Show Trends

16. More than half of event marketers reported feeling optimistic about the effectiveness of trade shows. ^[9]
17. Over a third of them also raised their annual exhibit marketing budgets for trade shows. ^[10]
18. Organizers of the Travel & Adventure Show, a three-day trade show held last March in Washington, DC, said attendance increased 10.6% from last year. ^[11]
19. The cities that experienced the highest record-sized trade show floors in 2025 were Washington, DC., Chicago, New York, Dallas, and Denver, the Travel & Adventure Show organizers added. ^[11]
20. The trade show floor growth also resulted in an 18.4% uptick in the number of exhibitors, from 842 companies in 2024 to 997 in 2025. ^[11]
21. Sustainability is an important issue among regular exhibitors, with 92% making efforts to minimize their carbon footprint, such as utilizing reusable exhibition stands and taking public transport to the event. ^[12]

Trade Show Attendees

22. Over 50% of trade show visitors are newcomers, marking their first experience at such events. ^[3]
23. Around 56% of trade show attendees are willing to travel over 400 miles to experience the excitement of participating in these events. ^[5]
24. Up to 92% of visitors are eager to explore the latest trends and new products and services. ^[5]
25. About 45% of trade show attendees participate in just one exhibition per year. ^[5]
26. At trade shows, 82% of visitors are in positions of authority, i.e., they can make critical purchasing decisions for their companies. ^[5]
27. Seventy-nine percent of visitors feel trade shows can help them with their purchase decisions. ^[5]
28. At these events, 77% of executive attendees find new suppliers that can help them with their business needs. ^[3]
29. Around 74% of trade show visitors said meaningful interactions with exhibitors increase their chances of making a purchase. ^[5]
30. About 34% of attendees expressed a high level of satisfaction at the event. ^[5]
31. A whopping 74% of consumers are more likely to purchase a product after seeing it at a trade show. ^[13]
32. Trade show attendees talk about their experiences with more than six people, broadening the event’s reach. ^[5]
33. On average, attendees spend around 5.5 hours at trade shows. ^[5]

Use of Swag or Promotional Merchandise at Trade Shows

34. Around 68% of Gen Z reported that branded merch had a positive impact on brand perception. ^[14]
35. Sixty-three percent said they’ve purchased a product or service after being influenced by a promotional item. ^[14]
36. More than half of Gen Z said they followed brands specifically for their promo products or giveaways. ^[14]
37. Apparel (T-shirts, polo shirts, pants, dresses, and activewear) is the most popular promotional product (63%) among Gen Z, followed by fashion accessories (57%) and hygiene and grooming products (52.6%). ^[14]
38. The use of high-quality swag is linked to enhanced brand loyalty, especially with younger consumers. ^[14]
39. Approximately 68% of consumers of all ages have acquired at least one promotional apparel in their lifetime. ^[14]
40. Around 72% of trade show attendees who received a promotional product remembered the name of the company that gave it. ^[15]
41. More than a third of Gen Zers like receiving freebies at trade shows and other similar events. ^[14]
42. About 76% of participants could remember the business or exhibitor that gave them a promotional product for 12 months. In contrast, 53.5% of respondents said they could recall the name of an advertiser they had seen in a magazine or newspaper a week ago. ^[16]
43. More than half of trade show attendees said they were enticed by booths offering promotional giveaways. ^[3]
44. About 73% of respondents who used a promotional product they received at trade shows said they used it at least once a week, and 45.2% said they used it every day. ^[16]
45. Businesses that use promotional products along with printed marketing materials typically enjoy higher referral value and better message credibility. ^[16]
46. Attendees exposed to promotional products rated the advertising message more positively than those who did not receive freebies at trade shows. ^[16]

Effectiveness of Trade Shows

47. Non-sales activities, such as strengthening customer relationships and building a stronger brand image, might have a long-term influence on potential customers who attend trade shows. ^[17]
48. The sales performance effects on exhibitors can last longer than the trade show. ^[17]
49. Distributors that participate in trade shows often purchase larger product volumes than their counterparts who did not attend this business event. ^[17]
50. Follow-up sales efforts were more successful when attendees were already exposed to a company’s product or service at a trade show. ^[17]

Conclusion

As a face-to-face industry event that helps brands connect with qualified leads and build relationships with customers and other businesses, trade shows offer unique benefits you won’t find in virtual platforms. Moreover, they present unique opportunities to demonstrate your products and services and provide non-sales benefits that can last significantly longer than the actual event itself.

However, signing up for all the trade shows that are relevant to your industry is not enough. You need to set up attractive booths and invest in high-quality swag items, eye-catching signs and banners, and other printed marketing materials to make the most out of these events.

Citations

1. https://www.statista.com/statistics/865283/b2b-trade-show-market-value/
2. https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/jbim-10-2021-0461/full/html
3. https://bluestoneworldwide.com/essential-trade-show-planning-statistics-every-organizer-needs-to-know/
4. https://conference-source.com/trade-show-statistics/
5. https://www.tradeshowlabs.com/blog/trade-show-stats
6. https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbesfinancecouncil/2020/02/20/why-trade-shows-are-important-for-your-small-business/
7. https://www.thetradeshownetwork.com/trade-show-blog/trade-show-exhibitor-survey-2022
8. https://exhibitoradvocacy.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/ExhibitorInsightReport_May2023.pdf
9. https://www.statista.com/statistics/292025/perceived-effectiveness-trade-show-marketing-usa/
10. https://www.statista.com/topics/1498/trade-show-marketing/#topicOverview
11. https://www.tsnn.com/trade-shows-conferences/the-2025-travel-adventure-show-sees-stats-soar-across-10-city-series
12. https://www.thetradeshownetwork.com/trade-show-blog/trade-show-exhibitor-survey-2022
13. https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbescommunicationscouncil/2020/03/30/how-companies-can-harness-the-power-of-event-marketing/
14. https://www.ppai.org/media-hub/ppai-consumer-study-why-promo-clicks-with-gen-z/
15. https://www.enterpriseengagement.org/articles/content/8288892/effectiveness-of-promotional-products-as-giveaways-at-trade-shows-an-attendees-perspective/
16. https://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/power-of-promotional-products-dims/2482983
17. https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/data/UQ_293902/UQ293902_fulltext.pdf?Expires=1749112704&Key-Pair-Id=APKAJKNBJ4MJBJNC6NLQ&Signature=cTF0GcOQokbVVhUcqsRhJB3yE4p6JA4wY4l4FdZN4m8JFn2OlebdKAT8T1ex~hbTVzPcZjD~Zv6X7ACZNVsafF87YmzwUFX8T8xrUGiCM8~-DXW-kOD5VUiGRvgEjRSxX1kP-LMJx8-PlXwCKPtn8QAHTBeXWQsTpm-HDqzwyQm740kAXHeCTwS6L5TvAvZrlK84LSdMhYz44v1fEV05GXHW9xWz6-6m7ySYFGh0Nf4hV5oQ3SdurWUjoQnGvcwhQsudCs2BkBpJ9d2EtRhEIxwQDG4gh0u1bb5If2dwag5vSBQB5I07Ri5Q3-VXU9GkIATC7MsTcVznRhm3qbzh8Q