Exhibitions & Conferences Market Report 2007: Industry Report

Exhibitions & Conferences Market Report 2007

Product Type: Market Research Report
Published by: Key Note Publications Ltd
Published: February 2007
Product Code: R310-1407

Description

The number of exhibitions held in the UK increased by around 2.8% in 2005. Traditionally, fewer exhibitions are staged in odd-numbered years, with many biennial shows being held in even-numbered years, so this increase was unexpected. However, the total number of visitor numbers in 2005 was estimated to be 5.3% down on the previous year.

There was a slight discrepancy between the two annual surveys conducted by the British Association of Conference Destinations (BACD) and the Meetings Industry Association (MIA), which survey venues and organisers, respectively. While the BACD reported a slight rise in the number of conferences held in 2005, MIA reported a slight drop. However, revenues were down in 2005 according to both organisations, reflecting the fact that, in 2005, conferences were more likely to be non-residential.

This Market Report looks in detail at both the exhibitions and conferences sectors, which are further divided into trade (or business) and consumer (or public), and corporate and association (or not-for-profit), respectively. The number of exhibitions in both the trade and consumer sectors increased in 2005, but the number of conferences held by corporate sector organisers was down by 13.2%. The exhibitions sector is also examined in terms of the sectors it serves, some of which — notably food and drink, gaming and energy — are extending their existing brands into new territories or creating new shows.

2005, continuing into 2006, also saw a significant shift in the way marketers are allocating their budgets. There is an ongoing trend away from traditional media towards online but, at the same time, recognition of the value of face-to-face events for promoting a greater interaction between brands and the public is increasing. Marketing and public relations (PR) agencies are devoting their creative energies to designing live events around brands, and the conferences and exhibitions industry is also realising its potential to be part of this new marketing development. Exhibitions and conferences have long been regarded as invaluable tools for building personal relationships between suppliers and customers, but now the opportunity to build strong relationships with brands, to use events as marketing rather than selling tools, is one that is being taken seriously by the industry.

How success here is measured is an issue that is greatly exercising the industry, which is also concerned with the sustainability of events, and both of these are debated at length in an industry which is becoming increasingly collaborative. This collaboration is reflected in a certain amount of consolidation: two major industry associations merged in 2006 and a new informative website was launched as a platform for the industry to consider the issues that matter.

Also launched in 2006 were the results of a major new survey among exhibitors — The Big Survey, from the Exhibiting Show — the results of which are included in this Market Report. Key Note is also indebted to the now defunct Exhibition Venues Association (EVA) for making the results of its last ever UK Exhibitions Facts survey available, and to the BACD and MIA for allowing the use of results from their research.

Table of Contents

1. Market Definition: REPORT COVERAGE; DEFINITIONS; Exhibitions; Conferences
MARKET SECTORS: Exhibitions; Industry; Services; Computing and Communication; Agriculture, Hospitality and Catering; Medicine; Leisure, Arts and Entertainment; Leisure, Travels and Family; Fashion and Textile; Conferences; Venues
MARKET TRENDS: Experiential Marketing; Table 1: Attitudes Towards Experiential Marketing (% of respondents), 2006; Trends in Technology
ECONOMIC TRENDS: Population; Table 2: UK Resident Population Estimates by Sex (000), Mid-Years 2001-2005; Gross Domestic Product; Table 3: UK Gross Domestic Product at Current and Annual Prices (£m), 2001-2005; Inflation; Table 4: UK Rate of Inflation (%), 2001-2005; Unemployment; Table 5: Actual Number of Unemployed Persons in the UK (million), 2001-2005; Household Disposable Income; Table 6: UK Household Disposable Income Per Capita (£), 2001-2005
MARKET POSITION: The UK; Comparison With Media Advertising Expenditure; Table 7: Advertising Expenditure by Media Sector at Current Prices (£m), 2001-2005; Table 8: Expenditure by UK Exhibitors (£m), 2001-2005; Share of Inbound Tourism; Table 9: Expenditure by Overseas Visitors to the UK by Purpose of Visit (£m), 2001-2005; Table 10: Expenditure by Business Visitors to the UK by Type of Event (£m), 2001-2005; Contribution to the UK Economy; Overseas; Conferences; Table 11: The Top Countries Hosting International Meetings by Number of Meetings (number and %), 2004 and 2005; Table 12: The Top Cities Hosting International Meetings by Number of Meetings (number and %), 2004 and 2005; Exhibitions; Table 13: EMECA Venues by Gross Exhibition Area and Numbers of Exhibitors and Visitors (square metres and number), 2005
2. Market Size
THE TOTAL MARKET: Table 14: The Total UK Exhibitions and Conferences Market by Value (£m), 2003-2005; Figure 1: The Total UK Exhibitions and Conferences Market by Value (£m), 2003-2005
EXHIBITIONS: By Value and Volume; Table 15: The UK Exhibitions Sector by Value and Volume (£m and number), 2001-2005; Number of Exhibitions; By Type; Table 16: Total Number of UK Exhibitions by Type, 2001-2005; Figure 2: Total Number of UK Exhibitions by Type, 2001-2005; By Sector; Table 17: Total Number of UK Exhibitions by Sector, 2004 and 2005; Number of Visitors; Table 18: Estimated Actual Attendance at UK Exhibitions (million), 2001-2005; Trade Exhibitions; Table 19: Top 20 Trade Exhibitions by Total Attendance, 2006; Consumer Exhibitions; Table 20: Top 20 Consumer Exhibitions by Total Attendance, 2006; Exhibition Space Sold; Table 21: Estimated Net Space Sold and Yield at UK Exhibitions (million square metres and %), 2001-2005
CONFERENCES: By Value and Volume; Table 22: The UK Conferences Sector by Value and Volume (£m and million), 2004 and 2005; Number of Conferences; Table 23: Total Number of UK Conferences (million), 2003-2005; By Type of Conference; Table 24: The UK Conferences Sector by Type (%), 2003-2005; By Type of Organiser; Table 25: UK Conferences by Type of Organiser (number), 2003-2005; Figure 3: UK Conferences by Type of Organiser (number), 2003-2005; Table 26: UK Conferences by Type of Organiser (%), 2005; By Type of Venue; Table 27: Estimated UK Distribution of Conference Venues by Type (%), 2003-2005; Table 28: UK Conferences by Venue Type (number and %), 2005
3. Industry Background
RECENT HISTORY
NUMBER OF COMPANIES: Table 29: Number of VAT-Based Enterprises Involved in the Exhibitions and Conferences Industry by SIC Code, 2005 and 2006
REGIONAL VARIATIONS IN THE MARKETPLACE: Conferences; Table 30: Estimated Distribution of Conferences and Venues in the UK by Region (number and %), 2005; Table 31: Destinations of UK Conferences Organised by Associations (% of respondents), 2004 and 2005; Table 32: Destinations of UK Conferences Organised by Corporations (% of respondents), 2004 and 2005; Exhibitions; Table 33: UK Venues Hosting Confex Exhibitions by Region (number of events), 2005
DISTRIBUTION OF MAJOR VENUES: London and the South East; South; Wales and the Midlands; North; Northern Ireland; Scotland; New Venues
HOW ROBUST IS THE MARKET?
LEGISLATION: Age Discrimination Act
KEY TRADE ASSOCIATIONS: Association for Conferences and Events; Association of British Professional Conference Organisers; Association of Event Organisers; British Association of Conference Destinations; British Exhibition Contractors Association; The Event Services Association; Meetings Industry Association; Other Industry Bodies; European Federation of Conference Towns; European Major Exhibition Centres Association; International Association for Exhibition Management; International Congress and Convention Association; Meeting Professionals International; UFI; Venuemasters; The Trade Press; Online
4. Competitor Analysis
THE MARKETPLACE: Market Leaders; Table 34: Top Ten Exhibition Organisers by Number of Exhibitions and Visitors, 2005; Brand Events Ltd; Company Structure; Current and Future Developments; Financial Results; Clarion Events Ltd; Company Structure; Current and Future Developments; Financial Results; CMP Information Ltd; Company Structure; Current and Future Developments; Financial Results; DMG World Media (UK) Ltd; Company Structure; Current and Future Developments; Financial Results; EMAP Communications Ltd; Company Structure; Current and Future Developments; Financial Results; Haymarket Exhibitions Ltd; Company Structure; Current and Future Developments; Financial Results; Ocean Media Group Ltd; Company Structure; Current and Future Developments; Financial Results; Reed Exhibitions Ltd; Company Structure; Current and Future Developments; Financial Results; Trades Exhibitions Ltd; Company Structure; Current and Future Developments; Financial Results; Upper Street Events; Company Structure; Current and Future Developments; Financial Results
OTHER SUPPLIER COMPANIES: Exposure Event Creations Ltd; IO-Live!; ASP Multimedia Ltd; Livingston UK Ltd; Melville Exhibition and Event Services Ltd
LEADING VENUE COMPANIES: Earls Court & Olympia Group Ltd; Company Structure; Current and Future Developments; Financial Results; The National Exhibition Centre Ltd; Company Structure; Current and Future Developments; Financial Results; Scottish Exhibition Centre Ltd; Company Structure; Current and Future Developments; Financial Results
MARKETING ACTIVITY: Main Media Advertising Expenditure; Table 35: Main Media Advertising Expenditure on Business Exhibitions and Conferences (£000), Years Ending September 2005 and 2006; Table 36: Main Media Advertising Expenditure on Consumer Exhibitions (£000), Years Ending September 2005 and 2006; Confex Trade Shows; UK; Europe; National Meetings Week; Industry Awards; AEO Awards 2006; Meetings Industry Marketing Awards
5. Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats
STRENGTHS
WEAKNESSES
OPPORTUNITIES
THREATS
6. Buying Behaviour
CONSUMER SHOWS: Conferences; Table 37: Frequency of Attendance at Conferences and Cultural Events by Social Grade (% of adults), 2006; Exhibitions; Table 38: Attendance at Exhibitions and Outings by Social Grade (% of adults), 2006; Table 39: Attendance at Exhibitions and Outings by Age Group (% of adults), 2006
TRADE SHOWS: Exhibitions; Reasons for Exhibiting; Table 40: Main Reasons for Exhibiting (%), 2005; Stand Preferences; Table 41: Types of Stand Taken in the UK and Overseas (%), 2005; Attitudes Towards Exhibiting; Table 42: Exhibitors' Attitudes Towards Exhibiting (%), 2005; Growing Versus Static Companies; Table 43: Main Reasons for Exhibiting by Growing and Static Companies (%), 2005; Table 44: How Exhibitors Capture Data by Growing and Static Companies (%), 2005; Table 45: How Exhibitors Measure Success by Growing and Static Companies (%), 2005; Conferences; Table 46: Purpose of Association Events (%), 2005; Table 47: Purpose of Corporate Events (%), 2005; Use of the Internet by Exhibitors and Conference Organisers; Table 48: Other Marketing Media Used by Exhibitors (%), 2005; Table 49: Other Forms of Communication Used by Conference Organisers (%), 2005; Table 50: Forms of Internet Communication Used by Associations and Corporate Organisers to Market and Organise Events (%), 2004 and 2005
7. Current Issues
ORGANISERS AND EXHIBITORS — COULD DO BETTER
EVENT SUSTAINABILITY: Ten Top Tips For Holding Green Meetings
MEASURING ECONOMIC IMPACT
8. The Global Market
TERRITORIAL DIFFERENCES
GLOBAL DECLINE
MEETINGS MARKET SHARE: Table 51: The Worldwide Meetings Market by Continent by Volume (%), 2005
9. Forecasts: ECONOMIC background; Population; Table 52: Forecast UK Resident Population by Sex (000), Mid-Years 2006-2010; Gross Domestic Product; Table 53: Forecast UK Growth in Gross Domestic Product in Real Terms (%), 2006-2010; Inflation; Table 54: Forecast UK Rate of Inflation (%), 2006-2010; Unemployment; Table 55: Forecast Actual Number of Unemployed Persons in the UK (million), 2006-2010
FORECASTS 2006 TO 2010: Exhibitions; Table 56: Forecast Total Number of UK Exhibitions, 2006-2010; Figure 4: Forecast Total Number of UK Exhibitions, 2006-2010; Table 57: Forecast Total Expenditure by Exhibitors at UK Exhibitions (£m), 2006-2010; Figure 5: Forecast Total Expenditure by Exhibitors at UK Exhibitions (£m), 2006-2010; Conferences; Table 58: The Forecast Value of the UK Conferences Sector (£m), 2006-2010; Figure 6: The Forecast Value of the UK Conferences Sector (£m), 2006-2010
FUTURE TRENDS: Live Events; Return on Investment
10. Company Profiles: Clarion Events Ltd; CMP Information Ltd; Earls Court & Olympia Group Ltd; Haymarket Exhibitions Ltd; The National Exhibition Centre Ltd; Reed Exhibitions Ltd; Scottish Exhibition Centre Ltd
11. Consumer Confidence
METHODOLOGY
KEY FINDINGS THIS QUARTER
THE WILLINGNESS TO BORROW: Confidence Slips Slightly; Table A: The Average Amount Consumers Are Willing to Borrow in Order to Purchase Expensive Items at Current and Constant November 2004 Prices (£ and £bn), November 2005-2006; Significantly More Adults Are Willing to Borrow; Table B: The Number of Adults Willing to Borrow in Order to Purchase Expensive Items (000 and %), November 2005-2006
SPENDING FROM SAVINGS: Little Change in Spending from Savings; Table C: The Average Amount Consumers Are Willing to Spend from Savings in Order to Purchase Expensive Items at Current and Constant November 2004 Prices (£ and £bn), November 2005-2006; Saving Grows in Relative Importance; Table D: The Average Amounts Adults Are Confident Spending to Purchase Expensive Items (£ and %), November 2005-2006
12. Further Sources: Associations; Publications; General Sources; Government Publications; Other Sources; Bisnode Sources

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