Study Series: The Economics of the Trade Fair Industry

Trade fairs are key platforms for exchange among industry stakeholders, promoting the dissemination of innovations and ideas. By facilitating collaboration and the development of new solutions, they help drive economic and societal progress. Furthermore, expenditure by exhibitors and visitors has a wide range of regional and supra-regional economic effects.

Against this backdrop, we examine the macroeconomic significance of the trade fair industry in Germany and analyse the impact of trade fair events on their host regions.

280,000 Jobs and 30 Billion euros in Turnover: Study on the Economic Significance of the Trade Fair Industry

The aim of the study, commissioned by the Association of the German Trade Fair Industry (AUMA), was to analyse and quantify the direct and indirect effects of all trade fairs taking place in Germany on consumption, production, employment and tax revenue.

Key findings:

• In an average trade fair year, Germany hosts more than 1,000 trade fair events, around one-third of which are of national or international significance. Together, these events attract more than 21 million visitors and nearly 370,000 exhibitors.
• Almost 16 billion euros is spent in connection with trade fair events: 11.8 billion euros by exhibitors and almost 4 billion euros by visitors. In addition, trade fair organisers invest around 140 million euros in infrastructure and energy-efficiency measures.
• This expenditure generates direct, indirect and induced turnover of nearly 30 billion euros across Germany.
• The associated economic activities support approximately 280,000 jobs nationwide.
• Service sectors closely linked to the trade fair industry—including exhibition stand construction and rental services as well as hospitality—benefit most.
• Overall, these economic activities generate around 5.4 billion euros in tax revenue for Germany.

Analyses for Individual Trade Fair Venues

In addition, we examine the economic impact of trade fairs on their respective regions for individual trade fair venues.

We are currently conducting analyses for the following trade fair venues:

• Berlin
• Düsseldorf
• Frankfurt
• Friedrichshafen
• Hamburg
• Hanover
• Cologne
• Leipzig
• Mannheim
• Munich
• Nuremberg

Our Approach

In our analyses, we place great importance on a transparent, scientifically sound and robust methodology.

For the study commissioned by AUMA, we use data and information from selected reference trade fairs in Germany. On-site surveys were conducted at these events to assess their regional economic impact. A particular focus of these surveys was to estimate the spending behaviour of exhibitors and visitors. The scaled survey results served as input for the trade-fair-specific input-output model. This model enabled us to calculate the direct, indirect and induced effects of the trade fair industry in Germany, as well as the resulting fiscal impacts.

For the individual trade fair venues, we oversee on-site surveys of visitors and exhibitors. Using the REGINA regional economic model, we quantify the economic effects on both the host region and Germany as a whole.

Links and Downloads

AUMA Study (PDF, in German)

Project team: Jakob Ambros, Silvia Golm, Renke Janshen, Fabian Malik, Dr Andreas Sachs, Hauke Toborg, Eva Willer, Maximilian Schall

Latest update: 03.03.2026