The exhibition industry has contracted by 68% compared to 2019, in new figures showing the impact of Covid-19 on the exhibitions industry, released by UFI.
€200bn (USD$224bn) of total exhibition-related output was not generated throughout the year, and 2.4 million jobs were affected. This total figure factors in the impact of canceled exhibitions on accommodation, restaurants, transport and other related industries.
The results are based on regional data provided in the UFI Global Exhibition Barometer released last week.
2020 revenues were only 23% of revenue from 2019 in Central and South America, rising to 24% in the Middle East and Africa, 27% in the Asia-Pacific region, 32% in Europe and 36% in North America.
Kai Hattendorf, UFI managing director and CEO, commented: “Covid-19 has had a significant impact on the exhibition industry, as well as those sectors who benefit from face-to-face events. The impact has not just been felt by exhibitors, who showcase their products and develop their sales, but also by those involved in ‘tourism-related’ activities. We all look forward to the lifting of current restrictions and the rebound of our economies, where exhibitions will play an important role,” says
The 26th UFI Global Barometer survey, released on 26 January 2021, can be downloaded for free at www.ufi.org/research.
