CEIR Releases New Version of “How the Exhibit Dollar Is Spent” Report

Have you ever wondered as an exhibitor where the money goes? The Center for Exhibition Industry Research has released an updated version of its 2007 report “How the Exhibit Dollar Is Spent.”
 
Among the report's findings were that 99 percent of exhibitors find unique value delivered by business-to-business exhibitions, which is not provided by other marketing channels, as well as 36 percent of the exhibitors’ dollars, the biggest piece of the pie, are spent on exhibit space.
 
"The data in this report is a much needed resource for exhibiting companies to plan and budget the cost of their participation in events,” said CEIR President and CEO Doug Ducate.
 
He added, “It also provides a guide for organizers and service providers on the many different cost centers that comprise the overall cost of exhibiting."
 
The report takes a look at a breakdown of how exhibitors allocate spending by the following categories: exhibit space, exhibit design, show services, shipping, exhibit staff training, travel and entertainment, promotion, lead management and measurement and other expenses.
 
According to CEIR, $24 billion annually is spent on exhibiting, with the second biggest portion of those monies, 17 percent, being spent on show services, including material handling, installation and dismantling, electrical, furnishings, Internet, A/V, etc.
 
The third highest dollar spend, 14 percent, was on travel and entertainment, followed by exhibit design, 11 percent; shipping, 10 percent; promotion, 6 percent; lead management and measurement services, 4 percent; and exhibit staff training and ‘other’ both at 1 percent.
 
Other survey results included the following findings:
 
• Exhibitors assign top ranking to the value of face-to-face interactions at exhibitions.
 
• Exhibitors assign high value to exhibitions in helping them achieve their high priority marketing and sales objectives.
 
• Business-to-business exhibitions capture the largest share of marketing dollars among companies that exhibit.
 
Survey results are based on a study conducted by CEIR this summer, polling a sampling of exhibitors from The International Center for Exhibitor and Event Marketing, as well as Exhibtrac’s Top 250 exhibitions’ list. A total of 233 exhibitors participated.
 
The direct spend estimate of $24 billion annually on exhibiting was updated using CEIR’s Predict Model. In addition, data provided by the Exhibit Designers and Producers Association (EDPA) also was a source of information, according to CEIR.
 
Please click HERE to order a copy of the “How the Exhibit Dollar Is Spent” report.