Exhibitions + Congress
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Sector at a Glance
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Contributes circa £11 billion to the UK economy.
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Supporting an estimated 180,000 businesses.
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1100 UK exhibitions attracting circa 9 million visitors per year.
Sector Overview

Exhibitions + Congress

Trade exhibitions are aimed primarily at those working within a particular trade sector and its peripherals. Visitors to trade exhibitions are usually required to establish their trade credentials and buying power.

Trade exhibitions are quite diverse within their industry sector, with B2B services and equipment as the core focus, often in the IT/Telco sectors, alongside more specialist congress events which primarily support the healthcare and pharmaceuticals sectors.

Consumer shows (also referred to as public) are primarily organized to attract the consumer or general public and usually charge for admission. These are strongly orientated to the leisure, lifestyle, wedding and homeware sectors.

The business events sector contributes circa £11 billion to the UK economy. Trade and consumer exhibitions support an estimated 180,000 businesses. The main UK exhibition venues host 1100+ p.a. attracting circa 9 million visitors. Venues, organisers and suppliers including AV, exhibition design and construction companies all work together to deliver exhibitions.

Sector News
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The events industry has an entry-level contradiction
The events industry talks constantly about talent shortages. But there’s an uncomfortable contradiction sitting underneath many of those conversations: businesses want experienced junior talent, despite being increasingly reluctant to create the opportunities that develop that talent. Across the industry, employers continue to say they struggle to find candidates with the right skills, operational understanding and commercial awareness. Yet at the same time, many entry-level roles now ask for previous event experience even though candidates haven’t had a chance to properly enter the sector.
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Businesses could gain £3,000 for employing young people
The UK government has launched the new Youth Jobs Grant to incentivise businesses to take on young people who are currently out of work, with a view to reducing the large number of those not in employment, education or training (NEET).
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Martin Rhodes MP to make ‘persistent and consistent’ case for events
Martin Rhodes MP, chair of The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Events says he will work ‘persistently and consistently’ to ensure events gain recognition and support from government despite recent funding cuts at VisitBritain and London & Partners threatening international visibility. Speaking at The Meetings Show 2026, a month after news broke that VisitBritain’s grant-in-aid funding was being reduced by 41 per cent, the Labour MP for Glasgow, pledged to ensure the UK’s meetings and events sector continued to gain the attention it deserves.
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Hospitality has less than a year to prepare for Martyn’s Law, warns IoT specialist AddSecure
IoT specialist AddSecure is warning the hospitality sector to start preparing now for Martyn’s Law or risk serious legal consequences.
Exhibitions + Congress Sector Industry Events Calendar
September 26
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AEO CONFERENCE 2026
The Association of Event Organisers (AEO) is pleased to bring you the annual AEO Conference. This event brings together key players within the events industry, offering networking, insight and motivation. With an outstanding speaker line-up delivering inspirational, dynamic and thought-provoking content, the AEO Conference 2026 is fantastic platform from which to debate, learn and share ideas with your peers, which can help shape your organisation and the industry.
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September 26
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PLASA Focus London
The UK’s market-leading trade event for live entertainment technology returns to London in September 2026.
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October 26
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The East Anglian Festival Network’s Exhibition and Conference
EAFN26 – The East Anglian Festival Network’s annual free one day exhibition and conference (Headline Sponsors: Gofer Ltd and Arena UK and Europe) brings together event organisers, venues and suppliers from across the East of England to share expertise, network and identify new supply chain opportunities to benefit the environment, the audience, the event industry and the region’s economy. EAFN26’s headline sponsors are: Gofer Ltd – one of the UK’s leading event power suppliers based in Suffolk and Arena UK & Europe – The UK’s Leading Events Infrastructure Supplier EAFN26 is being held at the Burgess Hall in the beautiful Riverport town of St Ives, Cambridgeshire. EAFN26 is free to attend for event organisers, venue owners, venue managers, event suppliers, event managers and operations or logistics managers working in the event sector and anyone else interested in connecting with our region’s event industry. Registration prior to the event is required. […]
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