How many visitors does a UK exhibition actually get?
New Events Industry Alliance figures put UK exhibitions at £11.7 billion of economic output for 2025. The number that matters to a small exhibitor is in a different EIA report: half of all UK exhibitions drew fewer than 2,100 visitors, while the average drew 5,900. What that means before you book a stand.
Are trade shows worth it for a UK small business in 2026?
Trade shows are booking out early: Informa’s B2B events grew 8% in H1 2026. What a UK small business should do about its 2027 exhibition plan.
Events lead UK marketing budgets: what it means for SMEs
Events led UK marketing budget growth again in Q2 2026, at a net balance of +11.0%. The IPA Bellwether panel is drawn from the top 1000 companies, so it is not a benchmark for a smaller firm. It is a competitive signal, and the action is on timing.