Global Exhibition Venue Space Grows Worldwide

November 12, 2017

As the total amount of exhibition space available around the world continues to grow, exhibition organizers have a more and more diverse choice of venues available in their target markets.

Data released by UFI, the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, shows that the number of venues offering more than 100,000 square meters (1.1 million square feet) of gross indoor exhibition space is the fastest growing segment, while the number of venues offering at least 5,000 square meters (53,000 square feet) of gross exhibition space also continues to grow.

“We are pleased to see that in recent years, additional venue space has become available in almost all regions of the world,” said Kai Hattendorf, UFI managing director.

He added, “Venue investments are long-term investments – so these trends underline the positive outlook for the exhibition industry mid- to long-term. In addition to adding new space, many venue operators have also made significant investments to upgrade their existing venue capacities.”

With the “World Map of Exhibition Venues”, UFI regularly produces a global census of all exhibition venues with a minimum of 5,000 sq. m. of gross indoor exhibition space.

Offering a preliminary view of the full report that will be available in December, UFI communicated on the consolidated results of the 2017 edition of the World Map, which highlights trends and developments in recent years.

Currently, there are 1,221 exhibition venues with a minimum of 5,000 sq. m. of gross exhibition space around the world and the total global venue space is 34.9 million sq. m., a 7.2 percent increase during the last 6 years. In this same period, the number of large venues offering more than 100,000 sq. m. of space has grown to 61, a staggering 27 percent increase in just 6 years.

Due to a surge in venue projects in Asia/Pacific, driven primarily by China, there now is more venue space available in this region than in North America.

That being said, Europe retains its global lead on available venue capacities with 45.4 percent of the global market share (down 2 percent compared to 2011), ahead of Asia/Pacific with 23.6 percent (up 3.3 percent) and North America with 23.4 percent (down 1 percent).

In line with UFI’s mission to provide vital data to the entire industry, several infographics related to these first insights are available free of charge on the UFI website atwww.ufi.org/research.

The full report, which will be available in December, will include data for each region and for the main national markets. It also will include a list of all venues with a minimum of 100,000 sq. m. of gross indoor exhibition space.

UFI would like to thank the following organizations, who helped collect the data for this research: AAXO (South Africa), AEFI (Italy), AEV (United Kingdom), AFE (Spain), AMAREF (Mexico), AOCA (Argentina), AUMA (Germany), BSG (UFI/BSG Asia/Pacific report), CAEM (Canada), CENTREX (Central Europe), CLC VECTA (The Netherlands), EXPO EVENT (Switzerland), FAIRLINK (Scandinavia), FEBELUX (Belgium/Luxemburg), RUEF (Russian Federation), TFYD (Turkey), TSNN (US), UBRAFE (Brazil) and UNIMEV (France).

Add new comment

Partner Voices
Overview: The award-winning Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) goes the extra mile to make every day extraordinary by offering customer service excellence and industry-leading partnerships. From their dedicated in-house Rigging team to their robust Exhibitor Services, The Center of Hospitality brings your imagination to life by helping you host unforgettable meetings and events. With more than 2 million square feet of exhibit space, world-class services and a dream destination, we are committed to making even the most ambitious conventions a reality. In October 2023, the Orange County Board of County Commissioners voted to approve allocating Tourist Development Tax funding for the $560 million Phase 5A completion of the OCCC. The Convention Way Grand Concourse project will include enhancements to the North-South Building, featuring an additional 60,000 square feet of meeting space, an 80,000- square-foot ballroom and new entry to the North-South Building along Convention Way. “We are thrilled to begin work on completing our North-South Building which will allow us to meet the growing needs of our clients,” said OCCC Executive Director Mark Tester. “As an economic driver for the community, this project will provide the Center with connectivity and meeting space to host more events and continue to infuse the local economy with new money and expanding business opportunities.” Amenities: The Center of Hospitality goes above and beyond by offering world-class customer service and industry-leading partnerships. From the largest convention center Wi-Fi network to custom LAN/WAN design, the Center takes pride in enhancing exhibitor and customer experience.  The OCCC is the exclusive provider of electricity (24-hour power at no additional cost), aerial rigging and lighting, water, natural gas and propane, compressed air, and cable TV services. Convenience The Center is at the epicenter of the destination, with an abundance of hotels, restaurants, and attractions within walking distance. Pedestrian bridges connect both buildings to more than 5,200 rooms and is within a 15-minute drive from the Orlando International Airport. The convenience of the location goes hand-in-hand with top notch service to help meet an event’s every need. Gold Key Members The OCCC’s Gold Key Members represent the best of the best when it comes to exceptional service and exclusive benefits for clients, exhibitors and guests. The Center’s Gold Key memberships with Universal Orlando Resort, SeaWorld Orlando and Walt Disney World greatly enhance meeting planner and attendee experiences offering world-renowned venues, immersive experiences and creative resources for their events. OCCC Events: This fiscal year, the OCCC is projected to host 168 events, 1.7 million attendees, and $2.9 billion in economic impact.  The Center’s top five events during their 2022-2023 fiscal year included:  AAU Jr. National Volleyball Championships 2023 200,000 Attendees $257 Million in Economic Impact MEGACON 2023 160,000 Attendees $205 Million in Economic Impact Open Championship Series 2023 69,500 Attendees $89 Million in Economic Impact Sunshine Classic 2023 42,000 Attendees $54 Million in Economic Impact Premiere Orlando 2023 42,000 Attendees $108 Million in Economic Impact